2023 Top Consultants: Aditya Roy

Aditya is an HR-Technology Consultant with over 17 years of experience in the Enterprise IT, FinTech, Retail and high-tech domains. He has held leadership and staff positions in HR, IT and Process Consulting, and led HR Product Center of Excellence for Fortune-200 enterprise, provided thought leadership on human capital/talent systems solutions and continues to work closely with clients to deliver domain-first HRIT solutions. He holds 2 master's degrees (Economics, and HR) from a top university of India (BHU, Varanasi) and has been throughout a University Topper, and maintains his stance that it is about knowledge with humility, not arrogance of knowledge.

Aditya has recently been dubbed by his clients as "tech-know-HR" for his natural inclination to make technology work for HR with Consciousness and Agility. Aditya is often considered an expert when it comes to navigating complex HRIT products and finding ways to maximize their value not just for the firm, but also for the people who intend to use the Tech.

What has motivated you to excel over the course of your career?

The following has helped me perform to the best of my abilities.

1) Passion for innovation: My clients love multiple perspectives on a solution, rather than a single way of doing things, in HRIT. To me, this comes across as an opportunity to have professional satisfaction and intellectual stimulation that is several notches beyond standard duties in HR-IT Consulting. The quotient of innovation is high in my role, the freedom to challenge is considered a good trait by client, the impacts are immediate and measurable. Moreover, my hard work is visible and rewarded, allowing me to strive for excellence.

2) Continuous Learning & cross-pollination of best practices: As an HRIT professional, I have also worked hands-on in artificial intelligence (solution architecture), Econometric Modeling for attrition (design and development), post-M&A integrations, Business Unit Governance, etc., to name a few. This exposure has helped me design my solution viewpoints in HR-IT with a degree of innovation that is loved by client.

3) Uniquely Talented professionals: I stay grounded and can serve humbly with an awe of knowledge because it is fueled by the Talent I see across my team and in client's organization.

4) Recognition and Achievement: I have been throughout on University Merit Awards and Scholarships and received several accolades in my firm. The recognition from my firm, and my leaders keeps me motivated.

5) Making a positive impact: The work I do has a visible impact on my clients, associates and peers.

What has been the biggest factor in your success so far?

In my humble opinion, the biggest factor in my success is listening to my client at a highest possible consciousness level that I can achieve, which enables me see problems that often stays invisible to the client. Often, I can connect with a specific business problem and personas with little effort, because I had lived the role myself and have seen the HRIT spectrum grow to its current state.

Since I mainly serve in HR-IT domain, I combine my HR empathy to connect with client who are into the roles that I had played in my career of 15 years, such as HRBP, Compensation Analyst, Talent Engagement specialist or have served the leaders in such areas (Executive Leadership/ CHRO/ COO). This strong domain knowledge of HR from a firsthand perspective allows me to wear technical hats and enable solutions which are innovative, impactful, holistic, tailored and point solutions. I call this 'Design for Delight', which is a stated best practice and HRIT framework in the client that I am currently serving.

What do you enjoy most about your career in the consulting industry?

If I am to pick just one element that would be 'Design for Delight with Bleeding-edge Innovation, at a fast pace.'

1) I lead Innovation, create frameworks, and swiftly deploy the outcome to see the solution in specific and holistic context. Example: I have had an honor to design HRIT Service Architecture and Operating Model, worked on HR Taxonomy using Semantics search, Worked on latest and greatest in HR-SaaS, design innovation in attrition space, in this client organization

2) I can bring the best in me, because HRIT calls for deep human resource expertise and sound technical acumen. Having served in multiple staff/ lead roles in HR I have carved a niche and have reasons to believe I have more to offer. This domain seems natural, and solutions flow effortlessly.

What is your proudest achievement to date?

I have several proud moments, some of them:

Achieving a rare feat in my university (first rank holder for seven consecutive years, in three full-time degree courses, two of them at master's level) Becoming the youngest HR Operations Consulting Leader for my current firm and operationalizing Workforce Management Service Architecture globally.

What's the best advice you've ever been given?

The best advice I was ever given is this: "You have a rare blend of talent, which would be a game changer in HR-IT Consulting. You should step out from the corporate role into Client-facing consulting."

This advice was given by one of my mentors, who literally shaped my career. This must be the best advice, because I have: 1) HR background with service operations/ specializations and leadership roles, 2) Strong Mathematical Economics education, paired with an inclination for systems/ data/ design, 3) A love for software, having worked hands-on into IT projects, 4) Certification in SAFe/ AgileOps Coaching.

This advice changed my professional life for better, and I am ever indebted to the leader for this advice.

What does this recognition mean to you?

Before I respond, I wanted to relate it to my background and experience. I am a professional with a proven track record, two master's degrees, experience of 1.5 decades in enterprise, and perhaps already carved a niche for me in client-facing consulting. This award means the following:

1) Increased confidence in my abilities and a sense of a validation of expertise, and a special professional achievement from my peers in Consulting

2) Increased visibility in Industry, which will enable me to explore and collaborate with new peers and share back my offerings within the Consulting community

3) An inspiration to create the work of my life (Cognitive sciences/ Consciousness and AI: application in Service Industry), which will require intense work