Job is a part of you. You also have another side of you, says Darshana Shah, Aditya Birla Capital
Darshana Shah, chief marketing officer, Aditya Birla Capital, "I am a person who believes strongly in the mantra of work hard and party harder. So for me, flexibility at work has taught that."
For Darshana Shah, chief marketing officer, Aditya Birla Capital, the whole concept of hustle culture is for people who are directionally not very clear. She stated, "I believe in flexibility, and I strongly believe in work-life balance. Because we as an organisation have weekends off. So, I don't believe in disturbing my team, unless there is a big campaign or something that we need to do on the weekend. My time with my family is important, and so is for my team members."
Edited excerpts:
The creator economy has taken the world by storm. Which influencers and trends are you following?
One of the things is obviously Bollywood and India. So there is Viral Bhayani, and Manav Miglani, and I engage with a lot of finance influencers to understand what is happening in the BFSI space. I'm planning a lot more regional content and check upon some of these regional influencers to understand what kind of regional content is trending. That is more from a marketer's POV for the brand, and then depending on the mood and the moment.
What marketing related content do you consume in your free time? I like listening to podcasts because I think there's a really interesting take, whether it is on health, etc. Since I was also in health insurance, there are a lot of things around balancing your health, mental wellness and leadership. So podcast is something that lately I enjoy doing in my drive time.
There's a lot of talk about burnout, workplace toxicity and hustle culture. What steps you have taken to avoid the adverse impact of the always-on culture on yourself and your colleagues and what advice would you give to your peers, colleagues and next-gen marketers on this?
This whole hustle culture is for people who are directionally not very clear. It was okay in Covid-19 when was sitting at home trying to do it, But, it's not productive anymore.
Given the kind of conglomerate and the work we have, there are enough and more opportunities within the organisation, but it's not like you are doing something and then you're going out and hustling together. I have seen that in the technology and engineering side, and that really affects the productivity at the end of it.
I am a person who believes strongly in the mantra of work hard and party harder. So for me, flexibility at work and Covid-19 has taught us that.
Every once in 15 days, we go out as a team for drinks and dinner, because I like the engagement. I like the interaction. I also believe in flexibility and that Covid-19 has taught us that you can work within the office closer to your house. I strongly believe in work-life balance, because we as an organisation have weekends off. So, I don't believe in disturbing my team, unless there is a big campaign or something that we need to do on the weekend. Because I believe my time with my family is important, and so is for my team members.
Job is a part of you. You also have another side of you. You have your family. You have your passion. You have your friends. I believe you should have that. So, that space I like to give.
Is there any sport or fitness routine you practise?
My husband and I started club dancing. Dance is what I love. So, it's actually on weekdays. Both of us late night go for partner dancing. I also go to gyms three times a week.
What does your weekend look like?
Weekends are for family and friends. Friday evening, it's either friends or me and my husband are out. Sunday lunch is with family.
We are working weekdays, and on weekends, we want to spend time with family, watch OTT, K-dramas, have lunches together and meet friends.
Share one work hack and life hack, you swear by.
I am a person who likes creating things. I'm very driven by passion and I like to try new things. That's what keeps me going. Learning new things, learning what AI is bringing in, what other things are bringing in. I have a very never-say-die attitude.
My life is much bigger than just my job and today, I do believe that you need to have a purpose which is just beyond you. For me, it is to give back to people in mid-careers, specifically women. I read about the term ‘motherhood penalty’. This is a term which I learned in one of the campaigns where the agency was presenting. When they go for motherhood and return back, the penalty that they have to pay is the lack of fair salary. The roles are cut, and it's not the same for men. So, I do feel that I want to give back to women and help them not give up on their dreams and aspirations. I want them to have a voice.
What are you watching on streaming this weekend?
Lately, I have been watching some of these K dramas.
A piece of wisdom you would like to share?
I'm a strong believer that you live your life to the fullest. It's not the years in life that counts, but it's a life in your years. So make sure that you live life king-size. Remember to practice gratitude. That's one other important thing because I think we are still blessed people. We've been given a lot. So gratitude is important.
