KUNAL CHOWDHRY

CEO, Apollo Singapore Investments Pte Ltd

The mental health challenges that resulted from enforced global lockdowns impacted almost every aspect of my business. From employees whose engagement dropped precipitously as lockdowns wore on to founders of investee companies whose plans were disrupted as the pandemic upended revenue forecasts and fundraising plans, I responded by ensuring that they had access to mental health professionals and organising ‘check-in’ sessions with them on a regular basis to enquire about their well-being. It is no longer feasible for companies to have one HR manager in charge of 500 employees. The pandemic necessitated personalized attention to employees to ensure they have all the tools to help address any emotional challenges. I see significant funding in the area of HR technology. From HR tech start-ups looking at measuring employee engagement, mental well-being, diversity and inclusion, to others providing enhanced benefits to employees such as payday loans at significantly reduced rates, the amount of venture capital being invested in this space is going to increase exponentially over the next few years. People are the most important asset of any organization; companies that fail to look after their people effectively under this new paradigm shift are going to lose their most valuable assets.