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Hi everyone! Welcome back to a new episode of The Leader Show with Lou Carter. Today, Lou interviews Sudhir Agarwal, the CEO of Everise. They discuss how Everise became a Most Loved Workplace® and Sudhir’s journey as a leader.
So, without any further ado, let’s jump right in!
Lou kicks off the conversation by asking Sudhir to share his professional journey. Sudhir replies by highlighting his 24 years in the service industry. He then talks about how he got tired of working in companies with a lot of bureaucracy and politics, which eventually led him to start a people-first company; Everise.
He is also happy about the fact that Everise has been recognized for its people-first culture over the last seven years, which is undoubtedly spectacular.
Subsequently, Lou and Sudhir discuss the importance of focusing on people rather than office politics in creating a positive work culture. Lou highlights Henry Ford’s method of choosing employees based on their behavior towards others, and Sudhir emphasizes the importance of treating employees like people.
Sudhir also mentions the importance of listening to employees and judging them based on their behavior towards others, including those in service roles. He urges managers to prioritize the needs of their employees and focus on creating a positive workplace culture.
Next, they discuss how creating an environment free from financial pressure and office politics can encourage innovation and creativity. Sudhir states that Everise rewards employees for thinking out of the box and avoids traditional appraisal systems that can stifle creativity.
Additionally, he emphasizes the importance of listening to employees and responding to their feedback in order to create a culture where innovation can thrive. In any corporate hierarchy, innovation often comes from the bottom of an organization, from employees who are closest to the problems and challenges faced by customers.
By creating an atmosphere where employees can share their ideas freely, without fear of ridicule, Everise has been able to incubate innovation and promote a culture of continuous improvement.
Moving on, Lou and Sudhir discuss Everise’s accelerator program, which identifies employees with great potential and fast-tracks their careers. Sudhir mentions that Everise views all employees as champions and sets a path for them to achieve their career goals. The company prioritizes promoting from within and provides training programs and coaching to help employees develop new skills and move between functions.
He further emphasizes the importance of accelerating employee growth as a key factor in Everise’s success, noting that many of the company’s employees have been with him for over 15 years.
Next, Sudhir mentions how Everise supports employees throughout their thick and thin rather than just at specific points in time.
He cites how Everise went the extra mile to support its employees during the pandemic by equipping them to work from home and converting its offices into vaccination centers in the Philippines. They also ensured that any leftover vaccines were given to employees and their families.
On this note, the CEO suggests the importance of putting employees first and taking care of them as a key factor in building a successful and sustainable business.
Lou asks Sudhir about the Global Exchange program in his company and how it can benefit employees who are new to the workforce. Sudhir states that anyone who is qualified for the job and has the right mindset should be given a chance to work with the company regardless of their physical status or age.
According to him, diverse cultures working together can help organizations think globally and act locally, thereby helping advance the company’s business.
Moving on, Sudhir emphasizes the importance of empathy as a skill set for their team members. He strongly believes that every leader as well as their teams must have empathy. Being a team player is also a crucial factor in their industry, and working as a team is what differentiates Everise from other companies.
The people at Everise never shy away from taking tough calls, and sometimes, letting go of a person from a role that doesn’t suit them is better than having them continue. Sudhir suggests that being passionate about what they do is essential to their team members.
Apart from that, he discusses the importance of being a team player and the significance of working together to grow in the industry.
Lastly, Lou asks Sudhir to advise CEOs on how to lead a Most Loved Workplace. In reply, Sudhir suggests two practices.
Firstly, he recommends that leaders should hire people who are a good fit, even if it means creating a new role for them. He points out that leaders should never shy away from hiring someone smarter than themselves, as their performance will eventually reflect positively on the company.
Secondly, he emphasizes the importance of humility in leadership, as designations can be taken away, but one’s personality and attitude toward life cannot.
Lou and Sudhir go into much greater detail over the course of this conversation.
Thank you for listening.
