BIKASH SWAIN
A Recruitment Maven And Thought Leader
Businesses have undergone major shifts in the last two years and are contending with supply chain pressure and increased layoffs while dealing with the new Omicron Variant. But it hasn’t stopped business leaders, particularly entrepreneurs, from inventing new metrics for success. They re-calibrated their businesses with new KPIs for systematic operational efficiency, well-being of their talent pool, technology adaptation, and workforce enhancement. Mr. Bikash Swain is a well-known figure in this league of new-age leaders.
In our enthralling issue, “10 Best Indian CEOs to Esteem in 2022,” we are featuring CEOs who remain unbroken by market intricacies. Mr. Swain’s benign leadership, extensive history in recruitment, Staff Augmentation and unwavering efforts in running his company, Srijan Spectrum Pvt. Ltd., make him a standout inclusion in this special edition.
JOURNEY TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP
From leadership to entrepreneurship, it’s a learning journey that turns a professional into a visionary, instilling a scalable mindset. Mr. Swain has over two decades of experience, including technical and non-technical.
Industrial Acumen: Starting in the early 2000s, Mr. Swain initially tried his hand in software development, but soon realized that coding/software development wasn’t his passion. A year later, he shifted to business development and joined a established old Business house, where he started software sales. Here, he met a client from the UK who was looking for staff augmentation on a man-month basis. Seeing this prospect, he began building a forte in outsourcing software engineers and other tech specialists. In 2004, he joined Leading Staffing company of World as a manager for IT staffing.
“I was head-hunted by the company for their staff augmentation in India, and I was the first to start IT Staffing for them.” says Mr. Swain.
He was in charge of IT and non-IT outsourcing (temporary and permanent staffing) to facility management, FMCG, Telecom, etc. In 2006, he joined a Danish IT Consulting Company, which was planning to establish its subsidiary in India. He established a solid track record and helped establish IT staffing operations in major states.
Path to Entrepreneurship:
With a pristine background in staffing, B2B sales, business development, and outsourcing, Mr. Swain was all-geared for new strides. Then, one of his former clients gave him a joint business proposal. He came on board, and for the next decade, he oversaw entire operations, including devising ongoing marketing, sales, and recruitment campaigns. Throughout the stretch, he noticed several gaps spread across the service industry.
Most of the time, customer satisfaction wasn’t met. In other instances, job opportunities were limited to the underprivileged. As a recruitment maven, he has always helped people find lucrative opportunities. Finally, women empowerment. Mr. Swain feels that young talent, particularly females, possesses a variety of skills that are sometimes neglected. His wife, Mrs. Vandana Rana, also associated herself with the thoughts. And with a collective understanding and the will to change, Srijan Spectrum was born.
A NEW JOURNEY
Initially, Vandana led the firm, and she pushed the philosophy of women’s empowerment. After Mr. Swain took charge, the firm started building a robust trajectory. Srijan Spectrum has 6 offices in India and a presence in the USA. Starting from IT, the firm serves clients from finance, BPO, marketing, engineering, hospitality, manufacturing, IT, healthcare, administrative, telecom, science, logistics, retail, among others. The firm works with a team of 100 people, mainly from the underprivileged sections. They have created a customized portfolio of need-based solutions. They have also developed innovations, like ‘Beyond HR’, a holistic product that oversees the entire employee life cycle management. The firm provides every opportunity for its team to grow and have a lucrative career.
ADAPTED TO THE GENERATION
From an employer to employee market, the recruitment space has come a long way. In earlier days, businesses had a pyramid structure, and the spotlight was on employers. This neglected the need to upgrade the talent pool, and instances of passion and dedication were vaguely available. But with digitization and tech interventions, the scenario has changed. Opportunities are only a few clicks away, and since it’s a young talent pool, the focus is now on being recognized. Also, the remuneration structure has developed dramatically, making it difficult for recruiters to keep applicants in play
Srijan Spectrum delves deep into R&D to address these complexities. Its recruiters use certain databases like Naukri.com. “Whereas most consultants approach a prospect with a typical proposition that may or may not be persuasive, we adopt a more thorough approach,” says Mr. Swain. He further adds, “We analyze the prerequisites, identify our competitors, and propose an offer that wins matches.” 65% of profiles on job portals aren’t active job seekers, but given an excellent opportunity, they will join. So, turning that 65% of nonapplicants into prospects is what R&D is all about. The firm also uses social platforms like LinkedIn to seek new prospects and connect with the masses across different verticals.
AN UNADULTERATED DEDICATION
Integrity has been one of the underlying values of Srijan Spectrum since its inception. It has kept its sails high, even in the darkest days. This credits the hardship and dedication of its leaders. Mr. Swain’s journey, how blossoming it may be, had been through many highs and lows. At one point, he lost a lot of money that could alter anyone’s mindset. But giving up was never a choice for him. He stood firm and even pushed for savings, took loans, etc., to run his business. During the pandemic, when the firm moved into remote working, many of his employees had promotions.
The firm also celebrates festivities, birthdays, so it’s always an engaging environment. Mr. Swain proudly mentions that they have always faced challenges head-on, be it financial, demographic, or other, but nothing stops their mission.
ON A PROLIFIC HIGHWAY
Srijan Spectrum certainly took a big step towards a brighter tomorrow when Mr. Swain took charge of it. It had a turnover of 7.5 Cr in 2018-19, from 75 Lakh in the previous F.Y. In F.Y. 19-20, the company made 7.5 Cr, and in F.Y. 20-21, they made 13.5 Cr. In F.Y. 21-22, the firm will make a turnover of 24 Cr. In the year 23-24 Srijan aspires to have a turnover of 100 cr. Starting as a recruitment consultant, the Organization has emerged as a Preferred staffing partner to few Major IT companies in India. These IT Majors choose Srijan Spectrum from 100 of vendors, which puts a colorful feather on its cap.
Srijan Spectrum aims to be a preferred staffing agency, be it for clients or talents. They have a straightforward hiring process and give underprivileged people opportunities. They are also planning a CSR initiative.
“We want to do 100 kanyadans,” exclaims Mr. Swain.
They would like to fund education of underprivileged girls from different parts of the country. And this includes his employees. The firm not only rewards skill but also rewards them for their trust and loyalty.
SHARING HIS BIGGEST LEARNING
“Value people above all else, and always have an ethical approach towards business. Be committed and stand by what you promise” – Bikash Swain, CEO
