Maas Savanghan, the Global COE Leader for Learning and Development (L&D) at Rizing, a Wipro Company, is renowned for his innovative approach and commitment to personal and professional growth. He has significantly influenced Rizing’s L&D strategies, ensuring they remain aligned with modern trends and industry demands.
With over 20 years of experience in various facets of Human Resources, Maas has witnessed and actively contributed to the evolution of Learning and Development (L&D). Historically, L&D was seen as a supplementary function of Human Resources, often perceived as a reward system for employees or a mere calendar of training events. However, the landscape has dramatically shifted with the advent of industry disruptions. The pressing need to ensure employees remain relevant and equipped with the necessary competencies in an ever-changing world has revitalized the importance of L&D. Maas emphasizes that L&D frameworks and strategies must now provide every organization member with opportunities to gain new skills, map their career paths, and align their roles with organizational objectives.
Rizing has adeptly adapted to these changes by embracing innovative approaches to talent development. The conventional classroom setting has transformed into a multifaceted learning environment, incorporating E-Learning, Mentoring, Coaching, Experiential Learning, and Gamification. Significant emphasis is placed on measuring learning effectiveness, conducting continuous assessments, and leveraging artificial intelligence (AI). AI tools are utilized to create case studies, simulate client interactions, and develop curricula, marking the next frontier in L&D. Additionally, data has become a crucial element, enabling management to analyze and understand the talent and skills within the organization, thereby offering more value to L&D’s internal customers. L&D at Rizing is no longer an isolated function but a strategic business partner, ensuring the organization thrives in a dynamic environment.
Maas’s collaboration with some of the world’s top business schools and faculty has led to high-impact Learning and Development (L&D) interventions that have significantly benefited the organizations he has worked with. Recalling the words of the Chairman of MAS Holdings, a leading clothing manufacturer where Maas began his career, Maas emphasizes the importance of creating conditions where employees are expected to be on par with or exceed their global counterparts. This belief drove the investment in premier global programs and the collaboration with top universities and facilitators, such as Dave Ulrich, Robin Sharma, and Marshall Goldsmith, as well as esteemed institutions like INSEAD, NUS, Wharton, and the Indian Institute of Management.
A specific high-impact L&D intervention involved curating specialized curricula tailored to the business needs and partnering with professors from these institutions to impart best practices to their teams. This approach has enabled employees to go beyond their defined roles, emerging as innovators, change-makers, and trusted partners to clients. The outcome has been transformative, fostering a culture of continuous learning and development that empowers employees to lead and excel in a competitive global landscape.
In his role, Maas has introduced several innovative solutions to ensure HR practices remain fresh and aligned with modern trends. He emphasizes the importance of a clear competency framework, which serves as the foundation for understanding the skills required by individuals across the organization. This clarity not only helps employees identify the skills needed for their current roles but also the competencies necessary for future growth. Maas believes that providing a blueprint for career paths, whether vertical or lateral, encourages employees to invest in the organization, knowing there are opportunities for growth facilitated by Learning and Development (L&D).
Understanding the diverse demographics within the organization, he has recognized that different employees have varied learning preferences. While some excel with E-Learning content, others benefit more from instructor-led training. To address this, he ensures a range of solutions is available to meet these diverse needs, including bite-sized learning, gamification, case studies, and on-the-job training. This tailored approach guarantees that all employees have access to the learning methods that suit them best, fostering an inclusive and effective learning environment.
Furthermore, Maas underscores the necessity of close collaboration with the business to understand the true skill requirements. L&D can no longer function in isolation; it must be integrated with the organization’s overall strategy. Staying abreast of new technologies and tools is also crucial. For instance, Rizing uses an AI Bot to simulate interactions with stakeholders, providing employees with assessments of their communication skills. This innovative use of technology not only enhances learning but also ensures that HR practices at Rizing remain cutting-edge and relevant.
Maas’s commitment to personal development and mentoring youth deeply influences his professional approach to Learning and Development (L&D) at Rizing. He believes in being driven by a sense of purpose, aspiring to inspire his peers and the next generation of leaders through his actions. By investing significant time in upskilling himself, he ensures he remains at the forefront of industry developments, embodying a growth mindset that is crucial in today’s disruptive world. This dedication allows him to bring more to the table and sets a powerful example for others to follow.
Sharing his experience and knowledge with future leaders brings Maas immense satisfaction. He actively participates in workshops, seminars, conferences, and mentoring sessions, finding joy in helping build a better future through the development of people. This passion for mentoring seamlessly integrates with his professional responsibilities, as he sees no divide between his purpose and his work. Instead, these elements are intertwined, enhancing the value he adds to his role and those around him.
His approach to L&D at Rizing is also shaped by his belief that work and passion can coexist harmoniously. While there are challenging days, his sense of purpose provides the energy to persevere and overcome setbacks. This drive propels him to stay engaged and motivated, ensuring that his efforts in L&D are always aligned with a greater mission of fostering growth and development within the organization.
Prior to 2021, Maas was employed by attune, a MAS Holdings company. The acquisition of attune by Rizing in 2021 has significantly influenced Maas’s strategic planning and execution of Learning and Development (L&D) programs within the organization. Now part of the Indian IT giant Wipro, with a global presence of over two hundred thousand employees, Rizing benefits from world-class systems, tools, and practices. This acquisition has opened up new opportunities for the L&D team to enhance their talent upskilling initiatives, drawing on a broader range of resources and expertise.
Previously, as a smaller legacy company, attune faced limitations in terms of resources due to the scale of operations. However, the current situation allows Rizing to leverage a wealth of internal facilitators, and access centers of excellence, and enhance their tools with those used by the parent company. This expanded resource base enables the L&D team to serve their employees more effectively, providing a diverse array of learning options that were previously out of reach.
For Maas, this is an exciting time as the additional resources at their disposal allow for a more comprehensive approach to employee development. The acquisition has also created opportunities for L&D professionals within Rizing to learn new skills and stay abreast of the latest breakthroughs in the field. This integration not only elevates the quality of L&D programs but also ensures that Rizing’s workforce remains competitive and well-equipped to meet the demands of the evolving industry landscape.
In essence, Maas’s innovative approach to Learning and Development at Rizing has profoundly impacted the organization’s growth and adaptability. Through his efforts, Rizing’s L&D programs are not only aligned with modern trends but also equipped to prepare the workforce for future challenges, ensuring sustained excellence and relevance in a dynamic global market.