Priyata Raghavan: Human resource drives high-value assets
Priyata Raghavan says irrespective of the role, the project or the position, work passionately and give your best to anything you take up
26 May 2021 | 2152 Views | By PrintWeek Team
A practice to make working wonderful for women
Professionalism. If you can set a clear framework with a clear set of deliverables, it will make a good working environment for women because women usually have to multitask and deal with multiple expectations in different facets of their lives. So, giving a good and strong professional working environment will help women thrive and grow.
If you were to start again
When I joined the industry 15 years ago, there was a lot of emphasis on what kind of technology we were going to invest in and deploy to deliver print or packaging. But one thing we didn't emphasise enough was the kind of people we wanted to employ and the investment that should happen in training, growth and mentoring.
It is the human resource that drives high value assets. So, the one thing that I would do differently this time is to focus on the important assets that do not show up on the balance sheet. Early emphasis on multi-skilling, training, mentoring, and career mapping can be a game changer for any company.
Most difficult moment for you
In the first few months of my joining print, I remember the first time when we faced pressure to meet a deadline. We were trying to get the fluorescent pink, and it wasn't fluorescent enough. I remember spending almost 36 hours on the printing press procuring different kinds of inks and getting various suppliers to sign off on lightfastness values to get fluorescent pink.
It was my first exposure how a brand finds its identity in print, and even today, that is the most exciting part of the job.
One mantra for every new woman employee
Irrespective of the role or the project or the position that you are in, work passionately and give your best to anything you take up.
One underestimated technology with a great future
I think information systems and data analytics on the operational side helps increase productivity and revenue from our existing equipment. It is something that printers have not explored enough yet.
Brands that use print-packaging the best
Multinationals like Unilever and P&G use print really well. They are able to offer the same brand identity irrespective of which country or locations they are delivering, or what is the substrate they're using. It is an amazing way to use print and packaging knowledge.
On the other end, many Indian startups and new-age brands are getting inspired by innovative packaging from the West. They are pushing the limits of Indian packaging. I like brands such as Epigamia, Paper Boat, and Bombay Shaving Company. These young brands are offering interesting packaging in terms of substrates, graphics and decorations.