Hiral M. - HR Manager

Title: HR Manager
Location: Bangalore, India
Joined: 2015
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Hiral’s hometown in western India (Gujarat) is best known for its love of vibrance, and it seems to have carried over into her work, where she makes it a priority to have a good time! 🎉 It’s a good thing one of our core values is “Make Life Less Boring”!

We know you wear multiple hats, have oodles of energy, and you’re always ready to work on something new… but tell us about your job! What do you do?

I support engineering teams who are building the daily habit in local commerce. I am responsible for making sure they have the right environment and culture to keep building great things that matter. I kick off my days with stakeholder meetings and employee connections. My job also gives me an opportunity to meet and work with global teams, which is exciting!

I stay well connected with the business leaders and employees on the engineering team, which helps them to gain trust in our partnership, and allows me to continue to drive initiatives and ensure we’re aligned on business objectives. I’m very much a go-to person for our tech employees in Bangalore, and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

What is that one thing about your career journey that might surprise us?

The first 6 years of my career I spent looking after our family FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) business as an entrepreneur. My father had a lot of faith in me helping him to transform the legacy business model. From clients to daily business operations, I supported my father by helping to reshape the way we did business and bringing in technology. This experience taught me to take a hands-on-approach, which has also helped me in my corporate journey with Groupon, as I connected well with our value of Ownership & Performance and Act like it’s your business!

Your role probably exists at other companies, so what is it about Groupon that keeps you excited to come to work every day?

We believe in authenticity at Groupon. From leaders to managers, everyone resonates with our core values and we live and breathe them every day. That makes it easy for employees to be inspired and soak it in.

I have also always been an advocate for building a strong culture with transparent communication channels and maintaining a positive environment. When I joined, Groupon Bangalore was just ramping up, and it felt good to realize the impact I was able to have in building an awesome program through various initiatives, and walking that extra mile to set an example.

What advice do you have for someone in HR interested in joining Groupon?

My advice to anyone who is looking to build their career as an HR professional is to make the organization an amazing, vibrant, and human place to work. That is a good start! Always remember that we are dealing with people, so take the time to value and celebrate those around you!

How does Groupon support diversity in the workplace?

Women in tech is an active group within Groupon that is alive and kicking! We consciously make efforts to ensure we have diversity in the workplace, and it’s one of my main objectives as a co-chair for Women@Groupon in India. I’ve also served as a co-chair for the Community pillar since April 2019, and my goal is to create a network of support and engage with our employees and non-profits to strengthen our communities and enrich Groupon’s ability to give back.

Who or what inspires you? Why so?

My mother! She taught me to never give up.

Most importantly…what do your parents think you do?

They feel that I matter and I am important in my organization.

What was your first impression of Groupon as an employer?

Cool ambiance! The fun never ends here. Even our senior leaders are grounded and humble. With “the new normal” setting in, I appreciate the support, allowing us the flexibility to maintain a work-life balance.

Describe the proudest moment you’ve had in Groupon.

Winning the Green Award which comes from the CEO, along with a personalized/handwritten congratulations card! I am on the “Groupon Wall of Fame” – a global award from our senior leadership team.

You probably have a life outside Groupon; what are you up to when you’re not at work?

I spend time with my son and family, focus on my classical dancing, and enjoy contributing to several local non-profits – specifically animal welfare. I also spend time with my house helpers, empowering them with the importance of learning and educating them to have a better life.