In our WB GET TO KNOW series, we will introduce our colleagues to you in the coming weeks. We want you to get to know the people by the names that often work in the background on projects.
Col. Rajesh Pandey is Head of Administration and Resident Director of Dr. Wamser + Batra India Private Limited, responsible for administrative and internal HR activities. He is the head of the Indian headquarters in New Delhi and also looks after two other offices in Bangalore and Pune.
His years of experience in the Indian military have helped him to establish new processes and build a team that sticks together and treats each other responsibly.
We conduct our interview from our home office. In India, offices had to close due to another lockdown. Our colleagues are now working from home again for an indefinite period of time.
How are you doing in the home office? Have you gotten used to the circumstances now?
Yes, we have gotten used to working virtually. However, we have a very reliable system to support our employees who work from home. Personally, I am lucky that I have enough space in my apartment and my own room that I can use during working hours. It is even possible that my son, who works as a management consultant in Bangalore, will spend the lockdown period with us. His home office is next door and we had lunch today - a positive aspect of the situation!
Col. Rajesh Pandey has been working for WB in New Delhi since December 2017 after retiring from the Indian military. As an officer in the Indian Army, he was involved in two military operations against Pakistan. He was also responsible for administrative tasks.
If we compare the Army to our businesses today, there are two major departments: Operations & Administration (including training) and Logistics (including Human Resources). You have to take care of many administrative and logistical tasks and look after your troops. Among other things, I was responsible for the logistics of over 3 soldiers. These logistics included everything from procurement to distribution. Among other things, I was responsible for supplying uniforms and ammunition. That is, I procured and coordinated the delivery of these goods from the factories to the military stations.
In addition, I was also responsible for the training and development of the troops. I also had to keep an eye on whether they were facing other challenges in their professional or personal lives.
Why did you leave your successful military career and how did you come to WB afterward?
During my military career, I was stationed at many different locations in India. Every new location meant a move – not just for me, but also for my family and especially my son. There was one change of school after another, friendships couldn't last long. This meant a lack of stability for him and as he got older we decided to settle down.
After completing his military career, Col. Rajesh Pandey moved to New Delhi with his family. To the city where he was born and grew up.
He joined WB over four years ago and took responsibility for day-to-day administrative activities, infrastructure (e.g. IT) and personnel.
In the beginning, I was mainly responsible for implementing new processes. When I started in 2017, there was no one to take care of the working hours. The company lacked team cohesion. For example, I had to create a structure in which every employee feels like part of the team. This included a change in work ethic, showing up on time and dealing with vacation requests. My “Army Mindset” was certainly helpful in designing and implementing internal structures and processes in the company.
Over time, you have taken on more responsibility. You have become head of internal HR and internal finance and are now even resident director.
In addition to more responsibility in day-to-day operations, the main focus is still on the employees of WB India. This includes not only the hiring and (unfortunately) separation of some office workers, but above all concern for the well-being of the employees.
The way we deal with each other is very transparent and honest, including when working with the management in Germany. I particularly appreciate that my work is recognized and that I am given freedom in managing the Indian company, which is often not the case with Indian managers. People believe in me and what I say is very important. This is not a given.
And if you had to describe the team in three words?
Sincere, professional and honest. These are also the characteristics that we look for in the application process. This also includes loyalty to the company. In addition, it is important to us to make the environment of our company happy and communal.
Even though WB has adapted well to virtual working, is working in the office still a viable option?
We believe that physical proximity to colleagues is beneficial for both the company and individual development. For example, if a problem needs to be solved, you can simply get up, walk around the office and reach the person in question. There are some hurdles when working virtually. Video calls have to be planned; availability is not always guaranteed. There is no opportunity to spontaneously contact employees face-to-face. I think when you go to the office, everyone feels better and is much more efficient in terms of coordination and output.
Are there any advantages to working from home?
There is even a big advantage: As a passionate golfer, I have the opportunity to play a round of golf before work. Getting up early, spending time in the fresh air and then sitting at the laptop at 9 a.m. is a nice start to the day. So working from home definitely gives you the freedom that you normally don't have when you have to drive to the office every day. But here too there are advantages and disadvantages for both working models.
Speaking of freedoms – when we get our travel freedoms back and can travel to India again or for the first time, which place should you definitely visit in India?
India is a diverse country with many places to explore. For example, if you want to visit places that have religious origins, then you can visit Rishikesh or the Ganges, which are beautifully located. Or Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia Dargah in New Delhi, especially on a Thursday for the evening qawwali session.
But the best place I would personally recommend is Jaisalmer in Rajsthan. I take every opportunity to go there. I was there many times as an army officer, but the place still amazes me even after so many years and so many visits. Jaisalmer is a desert city where the people are very warm and hospitable. And the landscape is beautiful - there is probably nothing like it in Germany or Europe.
Thank you very much for the interview!
Want to connect with Col. Rajesh Pandey? Visit be here WB profile or be LinkedIn profile.
