Anmol Choubey (E 07) ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Submitted to:

Ravi Kumar (E 50) Dr. Naval Lawande

[24]7.ai was founded in April 2000 by P.V. Kannan and Shanmugam Nagarajan. Since then it
has evolved to using artificial intelligence and machine learning to understand consumer
intent, [24]7’s technology helps their partners create a personalized, predictive, and effortless
customer experience across all channels.
The company has achieved diversity at workplace ratio (Women:Men), of 3:7 in 2020. [24]7.ai is
also one the very few companies recognised by World HRD Conference for their Training practices.
The company, being an equal opportunity provider, supports LGBTQ+ community, and provides
ample opportunities for growth. The Infographic provides a glimpse of the organization, wherein
considerable improvements can be seen over the period, concerning the understanding of how
employees perceived various aspects, starting with the personality, of members from LGBTQ+
community. At [24]7.ai, a strong positive culture of leadership and mentoring is fostered. They Make
sure employees are comfortable communicating with colleagues at all levels.
The culture of [24]7.ai has been critically analysed and after discussions with Miss Itika Choubey
(Manager, Organization Development, [24]7.ai) we have found the underlying challenges.
CURRENT CHALLENGES:
GENDER FRICTIONS
The company has been recognised as one of the top 50 safest places to work for Women in India.
The company’s gender ratio is considered strong in its peer comparison. However, the challenges
strewn keep the Organisation Development team on its toes. With Diversity and Inclusion being atop
the list of goals of the organization there has been a tremendous improvement in the roles offered,
opportunities created, favourable work-environment shifts for Women. The challenges arose when
these actions were seen in binary. When there are improvements being made in terms of roles offered
to women and, reservations in upper echelons were created basis gender, disagreements came about,
a plenty. It was observed that many male employees, being equally skilled and capable of handling
the role were not appointed solely for the matter that the role was reserved for a female candidate, or
the required ratio had already been achieved with respect to the number of men. Thus, for the
remaining openings the company only accepted female candidates for the role. This situation
eventually creates a base for conflicts, groupism and favouritism.

ZERO HOUR SHIFTS

This has been observed across our country that ONE out of THREE women feels unsafe while
working night shifts. With government of India relaxing rules with respect to night shifts for women
24[7].ai started receiving emails and requests from female employees to let them work in night shifts
or allow them to work till late night hours(the company follows a relaxed work time structure where
the employees are to work for only nine hours a day irrespective of their time frame, can be any nine
hours during the whole day). However, as an organization it takes a sizeable commitment towards
safety of its female employees if such a provision had to come to pass. However, it is always more
important to address employee needs. The challenge to implement a more lucrative work time
structure without risking the safety of its employees thus posed an actionable challenge.
SANITIZATION SENSITIZATION - LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY
Approximately 3% employees working with 24[7].ai belongs to the LGBTQ+ community, and when
the organization is the one which gives due importance to diversity, it becomes a duty to make
prompt solutions available to grievances from people of the community. The challenge here was
related to bio breaks. There were serious concerns from LGBTQ+ community people about usage of
washrooms in the company office. It was becoming a source of discomfort and difficulty to decide
and, at times becoming awkward to be using the men or the women’s room.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHALLENGES:

GENDER FRICTIONS
• Surveys and questionnaires are one of the best approaches to begin with. Specifically, framed
questions with simple options YES/NO would help.
• Periodical workshops and Talk sessions with connected topics describing the importance of
having people belonging to different genders on the top roles and what impact would it create
over the period. This accompanied with surveyed data and analysis of the same would help in
creating a different perspective of the men in the Organization.
• Rather than blocking the roles on the top to be specifically for women, performance-based
structure must be adopted where women are provided equal opportunities right from the entry
level of the hierarchy. Thus, one can exhibit their knowledge and then take up further roles,
hence ensuring no conflicts and differences exist.
ZERO HOUR SHIFTS
• The are many organizations such as TCS, Infosys, Wipro etcetera, which provide pickup and
drop-off services for employees working late night shifts.
• 24[7].ai can deploy the same methodology. The company can collate data, particular to
individual willingness to take or give up the night shifts, thus, getting a clear picture on which
employees are willing to work in late night shifts. Following this, the managers can work
upon the cost benefit analysis to find the most optimal functional combination.
SANITIZATION SENSITIZATION - LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY
• 24[7].ai should adopt to have sanitation points specifically for people belonging to LGBTQ+
community. The planning and execution of this solution could be done using surveys and
questionnaires, being filled, analysed and data being collected within the organization.
• Employees should be encouraged to provide solutions based on their perspective, this would
also provide various options to the company to choose from and come out with the best
solution available.
• Various workshops could be conducted based on issues faced by LGBTQ+ community to
create a connect among them and the other employees so that they don’t ever feel
discriminated or awkward in the workplace setting.
• Sensitization can further be enforced using the workshops, regarding right of access to clean
and hygienic sanitation places of all regardless of gender, cast, creed or colour.