Rapid Response: How Two HR Leaders Changed Lives in India
When the second wave of COVID-19 hit South Asia earlier this year, hospitalizing an average of 400,000 people daily, aiding our 350 team members and their families based in India became Neustar’s top-most priority. Determined to keep our people safe and healthy, Arvind and Kaushik, two members of our India HR team, set to work mobilizing a Rapid Response program that would soon make all the difference.
In just two weeks, they conceived, launched, and executed the program amid challenges brought on by the Indian healthcare infrastructure, demonstrating how a blend of collaboration and resilience — two of the values that separate TeamNeustar from the rest — can make an immediate and life-changing impact.
“The pace at which we had to implement the program was the biggest challenge,” says Kaushik of the need to act quickly while the number of cases continued to rise. “Getting these programs identified, communicated, launched, and supported were some of our biggest challenges.”
Innovative thinking and a fast-paced work environment, staples of Neustar, were not new to Arvind and Kaushik. However, supporting their colleagues through a pandemic provided extra meaning and motivation to the work.
“Seeing the difference we were able to make in such a short period of time — the real impact to our Neustar families — was our motivation for it all. We got to wake up every day and know we were going to change someone’s life that day,” says Arvind.
Working around the clock, Arvind and Kaushik, with the support of other local personnel, oversaw the successful implementation of vaccination drives in Bangalore and Hyderabad, as well as distribution of care packages with pulsometers and supplements. They also made sure our employees and their family members had 24-7 access to medical equipment and doctors.
“What amazed me was the implicit trust our leadership had in us to do what we needed for our employees in India,” says Kaushik. “This backing enabled us to find the best solutions possible and respond in a timely manner.”
Surya, a newly hired software engineer based in Hyderabad, benefitted from the duo’s hard work almost immediately.
“By organizing the drive outside a hospital, Neustar made it easy for me to bring my aged parents outside the home for vaccination,” says Surya, who also received a box of medicine and medical devices as part of the program.
Though they showed tremendous resilience in serving and protecting TeamNeustar employees in India, it wasn’t easy for Arvind and Kaushik to simultaneously battle the emotional toll of the devastation happening in their home country.
“The toughest part was staying strong mentally,” says Arvind. “You see your family, friends, and team members affected by this on a daily basis, and the inability to help at times was tough.”
The support from colleagues and leadership throughout the crisis didn’t go unnoticed.
“I always judge the true DNA of a company, not when times are easy, but when times are tough,” says Arvind. “It’s one thing to make guiding principles but following them at every turn for more than a year is phenomenal for an organization.”
Efforts like these are what make Neustar unique. We see a problem — we solve it. And we always take care of our own. Ready to join a team who puts people first? Check out our open positions and apply today.