The following is an edited excerpt from the conversation.
Guest Introduction
Vishal Bhardwaj (Host): Good afternoon, I’m Vishal Bhardwaj, and I’ll be moderating today’s session.
We are back with another Career Circles Live conversation for all the aspirants joining us for the first time. Let me set a brief context on why we’re here and what to expect over the next 35 to 40 minutes.
Career Circles Live’s intent is to bring talent advisors, career aspirants, and industry experts on the same platform so that people can access insights that are not always easily available.
With that in mind, we always invite a valued industry expert who can share real understanding. And today, it’s our privilege to host someone with four decades of HR experience across some of the most respected organizations.
Please join me in welcoming Mr. Sushil Baveja, CHRO, Jindal Stainless Limited.
Thank you, Mr. Baveja, for joining us. Before I say more about your journey, why don’t you start by introducing yourself?
Mr. Baveja: Thank you. I’ve been in the HR space for close to four decades now.
I completed my MBA from IMT Ghaziabad in 1984, and since then I’ve worked across Indian and multinational companies. I began my career with Samtel, which was into black-and-white and colour TV picture tubes. From there I moved to Cadbury India, then to Dalmia Industries, and then to Gillette. After that, I was with Alcatel heading HR for India, and then with DCM Shriram, where I had my longest stint, over 18 years as Head of HR. I joined Jindal Stainless about a year ago.
It has been a great journey, and I have been fortunate to experience Indian family businesses as well as British, US, and French multinationals. Each environment has taught me something unique.
Vishal: Wonderful. Honestly, I cannot think of a better profile representing such diverse experiences.
Before we go deeper into Jindal Stainless, I would like us to take a quick visual glimpse into the organization. Team backstage, please play the video.
(Video plays)
About Jindal Stainless
Q (Host): Can you give us an overview of what Jindal Stainless really is and how this journey has evolved?
Mr. Baveja: Sure. The Jindal group has been in existence for over 53 years. We are the number one stainless steel producer in India and around number five globally.
Stainless steel as a category isn’t always fully understood by the general audience, but it has very wide applications — from a needle to the Chandrayaan.
People don’t always know that the coins they carry in their pockets are made from stainless steel produced by Jindal Stainless. Razor blades come from here too. You will find stainless steel in mixers, grinders, washing machines, microwaves, in industrial applications, and heavily in architecture, building and construction.
Railways, metro coaches, nuclear, space, green hydrogen, marine, missiles — the range is enormous. The awareness is only growing.
Core Values and Expectations from Candidates
Q(Host): what core values define Jindal Stainless, and how should aspirants demonstrate them during interviews?
Mr. Baveja: Values define the ecosystem of an organization. At Jindal Stainless, our values include:
- Respect for individuals
- Meritocracy — neutrality, objectivity, fairness
- Dynamic thinking
- Creativity and innovation
- Social responsibility
- Integrity
These values are not just words. The behaviours linked to them are woven into our HR systems, assessment frameworks, and culture. When we evaluate candidates, we look for these behaviours naturally reflected in their decision-making, communication, and approach to work.
Presence and Opportunities
Q (Host). Jindal Stainless has a strong pan-India footprint. Can you share where you are present and what kind of opportunities exist?
Mr. Baveja: Our major manufacturing locations are Hisar (Haryana) and Jajpur (Odisha). Both are large bases with significant ongoing expansion and activity. We have opportunities in both these cities.
We also have corporate and sales offices in Delhi NCR and across India. Opportunities exist across domains:
- Quality assurance
- Production and production planning
- Engineering and maintenance
- Safety
- Procurement
- IT
- Sales, accounts, HR (in corporate offices)
- Group functions
We hire graduate engineers, diploma engineers, ITIs, especially metallurgical engineers, as well as mechanical and electrical engineers. For corporate roles, we look for CAs and MBAs across streams. We are in growth mode, and the need for talent is continuous.
Hiring Process
Q (Host): Many candidates experience long and unclear hiring processes. What does the selection journey look like at Jindal Stainless?
Mr. Baveja: We assess candidates on technical, functional, and behavioural competencies, and on value alignment. For entry-level roles, there may be aptitude or subject-matter tests. After screening, interviews begin:
- A technical and functional interview
- A behavioural interview
The process is brisk. We track time-to-hire closely because we want to bring people on board quickly. And importantly, we want candidates to have a respectful, positive experience. We see them as brand ambassadors, not just applicants.
Career Progression
Q (Host): If someone joins JSL, what does growth look like? Is it purely tenure-based, or more merit-based?
Mr. Baveja: Merit is central.
We look at:
- Sustained and the consistency of the performance.
- Potential for larger responsibilities
- Initiative, agility, and stretch
For middle management and below, promotions involve a panel interview with internal leaders and external experts. We keep the process objective and neutral.
Q. (Host): Today, cross-functional experience matters as much as vertical growth. Can employees move across functions?
Mr. Baveja: Yes. Growth is not just vertical. We offer:
- Lateral movements
- Role rotations
- Internal job postings (IJP)
- Cross-functional projects
- External seminars and international exposure
We encourage employees to explore new domains.
Learning & Development
Q. (Host): There’s a growing focus on building talent internally. What does learn and upskilling look like at JSL?
Mr. Baveja: We have a strong Learning & Development vertical at both group and unit levels. We conduct systematic training-needs assessments across:
- Technical
- Functional
- Behavioural
We have an annual learning calendar, external experts, and sponsorships for programs at institutes like IIMs and ISB. The idea is to build holistic professionals.
Employee Engagement
Q. (Host): Manufacturing environments often struggle with engagement. How does JSL approach this?
Mr. Baveja: Engagement happens at multiple levels:
- Social and cultural activities
- Festival celebrations
- Sports events
- Safety Day, Women’s Day, and more
But two things are particularly impactful:
The Quarterly Forum
Our Managing Director, Mr. Abhyuday Jindal, addresses all employees, shares business updates, and takes open questions, ranging from strategy to transport to personal wellness.
Rewards & Recognition (R&R)
Our MD personally participates in R&R events. Recognition is not treated as a ritual, it is meant to celebrate achievements and make people feel valued and part of larger JSL families.
We also reach out to employees to understand their satisfaction levels at JSL from time to time. Moreover, we recently conducted an NPS survey and scored above 55%, which is strong by industry benchmarks. Technology also plays a major role. With Darwinbox, all HR processes are digital. For us, the journey begins after implementation, adoption and employee experience matter.
Audience Questions
Q1. How does JSL drive innovation?
Mr. Baveja: Innovation is a core value. It is part of performance discussions, part of our R&R framework, and part of daily behaviours. We reward not just ideas but also execution. We bring external perspectives and benchmark continuously.
Q2. What is JSL’s approach to diversity?
Mr. Baveja: We are on a journey. Manufacturing, especially metals, faces a talent-availability challenge for gender diversity. However:
- We prioritize diversity candidates in corporate roles (without compromising merit).
- Inclusion matters as much as diversity; decision-making here is consensus-driven.
- We encourage diverse and even contrarian perspectives because they elevate outcomes.
We still have a long way to go, but the roadmap is clear.
Closing Remarks
Mr. Baveja: Jindal Stainless is a progressive, professional organization. We invest heavily in upgrading systems and processes. We bring in outside-in perspectives to stay contemporary and raise the bar continuously.
We don’t aspire to be just a domestic leader. We are already among the top five globally, and our ambition is to be in the top three.
Vishal: Thank you, Mr. Baveja. We wish JSL continued success as you reach for that global leadership.
And to all our aspirants, thank you for joining us. You’ll see an email ID on the screen. Please share your profiles for relevant opportunities at JSL.
Until next time, take care and thank you for being part of Career Circles Live.
