Announcing The Focal Point — 70+ Founders, Leaders To Dive Into Hiring, Retention & More

It is official. A harsh funding winter has descended on the startup ecosystem worldwide and may continue way past 2022. The year has been marred by a funding squeeze that has triggered massive cost-cutting and thousands of layoffs. As concerns about a looming global recession further dampen India’s business outlook, one is forced to ask whether the great Indian startup dream is finally over. 

But it may not be all gloom and doom, given the industry overview. 

The latest Employment Outlook Report by TeamLease says about 73% of Indian startups are optimistic about the third quarter of FY23 (October-December 2022) and are eager to ramp up their resource pool. At 65%, India’s hiring intent for this period is expected to grow by 4% from the previous quarter, the report suggests. 

This is the perfect time for startups to strengthen their hiring and retention game for long-term success.

To help startups understand and adapt to the evolving hiring and workplace culture trends, Inc42 will be hosting — The Focal Point in Delhi-NCR on December 8, 2022.

The event, hosted in collaboration with California-based HRtech platform Fountain and startup accelerator Huddle, will bring together 70+ founders, leaders, CXOs and investors. 

“Such meetups are great for brand building and networking – the two main pillars for any startup to create awareness. Business is a network of human relations, building strong foundations to understand cultural values, business practices and strategies that result in accelerated knowledge and awareness,” said OmPrakash Muppirala, head of Fountain India. 

The Focal Point will feature speakers from the startup community who will discuss and deliberate on the challenges, opportunities and future outlook of hiring, training and retaining talent. An evening of networking and candid conversations will follow the panel discussions. 

Good Work Culture Needed To Attract And Retain Talent

Employee turnover is bound to happen over time, but a high attrition rate can impact a company’s bottom line as it affects productivity and accelerates operational costs. Studies show that when companies lose an employee, it costs them 6 to 9 months’ salary on average.

Cutting down on employee turnover is critical to ensuring business sustainability, and a healthy workplace culture can help companies achieve this. According to a Salesforce report, employees who feel their voices are heard are 4.6 times more likely to perform their best. Creating a good workplace environment is also a bonus for employers as it nourishes new ideas.

The founders’ meetup will host a fireside chat between Manoj Kohli, country head of SoftBank India, and Vaibhav Vardhan, cofounder and CEO of Inc42. The duo will dive deep into how to create a good workplace culture and how startups can achieve long-term employee retention. 

Spotlight On Hiring And Retention Trends

“Despite the economic downturn in 2022 leading to job insecurity and layoffs, candidates are mindful of what they’re getting into. Hiring credible talent and retaining them remain a top challenge for founders,” said Sanil Sachar, founding partner of Huddle.

Sachar will join the event for a panel discussion on ‘decoding hiring and retention trends’ to help founders and other industry stakeholders understand and deal with hiring and retention issues. He will be joined by Ashish Kashyap, founder of INDmoney; Rage Coffee’s founder Bharat Sethi; Varun Laul, partner at Investcorp, and OmPrakash Muppirala, head of Fountain India. 

The panellists will also discuss effective strategies to retain talent in sync with the latest workplace trends.

“Events like The Focal Point are needed more than ever, considering the current state of workplaces and layoffs across the country. The sign of a good work culture starts from how secure the employees feel in their existing roles and how the organisation’s growth aligns with employee growth trajectory,” said Sachar.