Mahindra Finance recently won the Best NBFC in Talent and Workforce award. Echo speaks to Manish Sinha, CHRO, Mahindra Finance on what it takes to develop talent and watch it grow

What does it take to be the ‘Best NBFC in Talent and Workforce’? 

To be the ‘Best NBFC in Talent and Workforce,’ it’s not just about having structured programmes — it’s about intent, commitment, and creating an environment where employees feel empowered to contribute meaningfully. At Mahindra Finance, we go beyond training by customising programmes to address both business needs and individual aspirations. Whether it’s preparing employees for leadership or equipping them with market expertise, we focus on robust business partnering. For us, the real impact lies in connecting learning to career growth and measurable business outcomes. It’s about orchestrating career moves, building trust, and ensuring employees see a future here. 

Can you share details a few of your top L&D programmes especially keeping in mind the varied demography of Mahindra Finance recruits? 

At Mahindra Finance, we understand that leading at different hierarchical levels requires distinct skill sets, especially given the geographical complexities we operate in. Our programs are carefully designed to address these nuances: 

Emerging Leadership Development Programme (ELDP): Mid-level managers face challenges of bridging strategy and execution. This programme develops their ability to manage stakeholders, adapt to diverse cultural contexts, and make strategic decisions aligned with organisational goals. 

Transformational Leadership Development Programme me(TLDP): Focused on equipping team leaders with tactical skills to manage frontline operations effectively, particularly in rural markets. It emphasises decision-making, managing geographically dispersed teams, and driving operational excellence. 

Elevate: is a focused program aimed at boosting productivity among 287 low-performing ABMs in the Car Loans and Commercial Vehicle Loans division. Through one-day classroom training, microlearning content, circle-wise connect calls, and performance recognition, it addresses gaps in sales management, dealer engagement, and operational alignment. Elevate equips ABMs with essential skills to improve sales performance and strengthen stakeholder relationships for business success. 

The Retail Branch Structure was developed to drive diversified growth, enhance customer experience, and improve operational excellence. A comprehensive training program addressed skill gaps as teams transitioned from back-end operations to customer-facing sales roles. Initiatives included Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT), classroom workshops like Ascend and Evolve, certifications, cross-sell training, and success story videos, fostering operational efficiency and a sales-oriented mindset. 

We have recently launched the Executive Leadership Development Program (XLDP) to empower senior leaders with transformational skills and earned authority. Additionally, the Young Leaders Development Program (YLDP) is set to launch soon, focusing on developing early-career professionals for future leadership roles. With these programs, Mahindra Finance now addresses leadership development across the entire hierarchical structure, ensuring comprehensive growth and alignment. 

How different is your programmes from others, especially in relation to your sector? 

Mahindra Finance’s learning and development programmes are unique because they go beyond traditional training interventions to deliver sustained impact.  

A key differentiator is the co-creation of these programmes with business leaders, ensuring high buy-in and sponsorship at all levels. This collaborative approach aligns training objectives directly with organizational goals, fostering stronger ownership and relevance. 

To ensure lasting impact, certifications are integrated into many programs, reinforcing knowledge retention and encouraging consistent application of skills.  

Furthermore, these programmes are designed to align with the diverse needs of the NBFC sector, addressing challenges such as geographical complexities, operational efficiency, and leadership development across all hierarchical levels. This focus on sustained development and career impact makes us stand out in the NBFC sector. 

What are the women-specific programmes that you have at Mahindra Finance? 

Women empowerment is integral to Mahindra Finance’s culture. Our flagship initiative, Prarambh, is a dedicated program under which we provide specialized training to women in rural & semi-urban areas, for creating a talent pipeline for entry-level frontline sales & collection roles. 

We also nominate our high-potential women employees for the prestigious developmental journey- She Is on The Rise. 

Beyond this, we have policies like menstrual wellness leave, childcare allowance, enhanced travel and accommodation limits for women, IVF support, and maternity transition programs that address women’s unique needs. Additionally, we have Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)- Mahindra Finance World of Women (MWoW) at circle-level that focus on fostering connections and amplifying women’s voices at a hyper-local level. These ERGs are supported by the DEI Council, with executive sponsors ensuring leadership commitment to inclusivity. 

How are you using technology in your L&D programmes? 

We’ve embraced technology to make learning innovative and accessible. Our focus is on delivering microlearning content through platforms like MStudio and MLearn, which offer bite-sized, multi-lingual modules tailored to individual needs. We’ve also incorporated AI-generated songs, short videos, and interactive tools to make learning engaging. For example, employees in rural locations benefit from AV-based training in their native languages, ensuring inclusivity. These digital interventions not only enhance learning but also ensure scalability across our geographically dispersed workforce. 

Can you share the tangible benefits you may have seen in the business with these programmes? 

Our L&D programmes have created a robust talent pool ready to step into critical roles internally, ensuring seamless succession planning and reduced dependency on external hiring. Some key benefits include: 

Strengthened leadership pipeline: Programmes like XLDP and ELDP have successfully prepared leaders to take on strategic roles, enabling business continuity and agility. For example- nearly 50% of the TLDP participants have experienced role enhancements/ rotations. 

Improved productivity: Programmes like Elevate have demonstrated a remarkable impact on productivity. Initially, the target group of 111 low-performing ABMs was achieving below 70% of their targets. Post-training, productivity analysis revealed that nearly 60% of the group consistently met their threshold targets for two consecutive months. 

Operational excellence: The implementation of CPC 0.5 has driven impactful results across verticals by empowering front-line Sales and Accounts teams to master and adapt to new processes. This has led to a steady upward trend in First-Time Right (FTR) processing, significantly reduced turnaround time (TAT), and streamlined lending workflows from file login to disbursement and servicing, ensuring operational excellence. 

Can you share your plans on how you will take these L&D programmes ahead? 

At Mahindra Finance, we are constantly evolving our L&D initiatives to meet the demands of a dynamic business environment. One of our key priorities moving forward is building digital skills across the organisation. It’s not just about adapting to technology but empowering employees to leverage it for enhanced productivity and operational efficiency. 

With XLDP already launched and YLDP coming soon, we’ll be covering the leadership development pipeline across all levels- whether it’s entry-level professionals or senior leaders.  

We’re also focusing on a competency-based roadmap for our sales and collections workforce. The idea is to identify critical areas where skill-building can directly impact business outcomes and create targeted interventions to address those gaps. This will help align individual performance with organizational goals seamlessly. 

And of course, strengthening managerial capabilities remains a cornerstone of our strategy. By investing in leadership development, we’re ensuring that our managers are equipped to drive operational excellence, lead their teams effectively, and contribute to the organization’s success in a meaningful way. 

It’s an exciting journey ahead, and we’re committed to creating a culture of continuous learning and growth across Mahindra Finance!