Building People-First Organizations in a Remote-First World with Akshay Sharma

Akshay Sharma of ScaleX on HR's evolution, building remote culture, talent retention, DEI misconceptions, and why great managers matter more than policies

Many organizations still view Human Resources as an administrative function,a department that handles hiring, payroll, and compliance while remaining separate from core business strategy. But what if this perception is holding companies back from their full potential? What if HR, when properly positioned, could be the single most powerful driver of business growth and organizational success?

In this interview, we're challenging that conventional thinking with Akshay Sharma, Head of HR and People Operations at ScaleX, a remote-first organization operating out of India. Akshay brings a uniquely multidimensional perspective to HR leadership, shaped by an entrepreneurial background, extensive recruitment experience, and a deep understanding of what makes distributed teams thrive.

His journey from building businesses to leading people operations has given him a rare vantage point, one where HR isn't just about policies and processes, but about solving real business problems through people. In this interview, Akshay shares his insights on evolving HR priorities, the hidden challenges of talent attraction and retention, building intentional culture in remote environments, and why belonging is created through everyday experiences rather than occasional initiatives.

Interview with Akshay Sharma

1. How has the role of Human Resources evolved in recent years, and what do you believe should be the top priorities for HR leaders moving forward?

When I started my career, HR was largely seen as a function responsible for hiring, compliance, payroll, and employee administration. Today, that expectation has changed significantly. HR is no longer just supporting the business—it is expected to help shape it.

Over the years, I've worked as an entrepreneur, recruiter, and now lead HR & Operations for a remote-first organization. One thing this journey has taught me is that good HR isn't about creating more policies; it's about solving business problems through people.

As organizations become more distributed and technology continues to evolve, HR leaders need to think beyond filling vacancies. The real questions are: Are we hiring the right people? Are they growing? Are our managers helping them succeed? Are we building systems that can scale as the business grows?

I think the priorities for HR over the next few years are very clear.

First, build processes that are scalable without losing the human element. As companies grow, consistency becomes just as important as flexibility.

Second, invest in managers. Employees interact with their managers every day, not with the HR department. A great manager can completely change someone's experience at work, while a poor one can undo even the best HR initiatives.

Third, embrace AI and automation where they genuinely add value. Administrative work can increasingly be automated, allowing HR teams to spend more time coaching leaders, improving employee experience, and making data-informed decisions.

Finally, HR leaders need to understand the business. Hiring, engagement, performance, and retention should never exist in isolation—they should directly contribute to organizational goals. The more HR understands how the business operates, the greater impact it can create.

For me, the future of HR isn't about becoming more process-driven. It's about becoming more business-aware while staying deeply people-focused.

2. What do you consider to be the biggest challenge organizations face when attracting, developing, and retaining top talent, and how can HR help address it?

One challenge I've seen consistently is the growing gap between expectations and reality.

Organizations want people who can take ownership, adapt quickly, and create impact from day one. At the same time, many candidates evaluate opportunities primarily on compensation, designation, or flexibility. Neither perspective is wrong, but unless expectations are aligned early, retention becomes difficult.

Having spent several years in recruitment before moving into HR leadership, I've interviewed candidates across different industries and experience levels. One thing that changed my perspective was realizing that the strongest resumes don't always lead to the strongest performers. Some candidates have impressive credentials but struggle to take ownership, while others may have average resumes yet stand out because of their curiosity, accountability, and willingness to learn. Experiences like these completely changed the way I evaluate talent.

Another challenge today is that attracting applicants is no longer the difficult part. For many positions, organizations receive hundreds or even thousands of applications. The real challenge is identifying people who not only have the required skills but also fit the pace, culture, and expectations of the organization.

Retention follows a similar pattern. I don't think people stay because of one policy or one perk. They stay when they feel they're learning, making meaningful contributions, and progressing in their careers. In fact, I believe companies sometimes spend too much time trying to retain employees and too little time helping them grow. If people are genuinely growing, retention often takes care of itself.

This is where HR creates long-term value. Beyond recruitment, HR should help managers build structured onboarding experiences, define clear career paths, create meaningful performance conversations, and ensure employees continue developing rather than simply completing tasks.

When organizations consistently invest in people instead of only investing during hiring, they build teams that stay engaged, perform better, and grow alongside the business.

3. How would you describe your organization's culture, and what practices have been most effective in creating an environment where employees feel motivated, valued, and empowered to do their best work?

I would describe our culture as fast-moving, ownership-driven, and built on trust.

At ScaleX, we're a remote-first organization, so we don't have the advantage of daily office interactions. That means culture has to be created intentionally rather than happening by default.

One thing I've genuinely appreciated is that people are encouraged to take responsibility early in their journey. Team members aren't expected to simply execute instructions—they're encouraged to solve problems, contribute ideas, and continuously improve the way we work. That creates a strong sense of ownership across teams.

From an HR perspective, we've learned that engagement doesn't always require large initiatives. In a remote environment, we've intentionally created opportunities for people to connect beyond their day-to-day work through recognition, celebrating milestones, interactive Slack activities, and informal conversations. These may seem like small initiatives individually, but together they help people build relationships, collaborate more naturally, and feel connected to the organization despite being miles apart.

Personally, I believe transparency builds trust. Employees should understand why decisions are made, what success looks like, and how their work contributes to the organization's goals. When people have that clarity, motivation tends to come naturally.

One opinion I've developed over the years is that culture isn't created during annual offsites or occasional engagement events. It's created in Monday morning meetings, performance conversations, the way leaders respond when mistakes happen, and how consistently people are treated every single day.

For me, a healthy culture isn't measured by how many engagement activities an organization conducts. It's measured by whether employees feel comfortable contributing ideas, taking ownership, learning from mistakes, and growing alongside the business.

4. Many organizations have DEI initiatives in place, but creating a true sense of belonging can be more challenging. In your experience, what actions have made the biggest difference in building an inclusive workplace culture?

I think belonging is created through everyday experiences rather than occasional initiatives.

An organization can have excellent DEI policies on paper, but if employees don't feel comfortable speaking up, asking questions, or sharing different perspectives, they'll never truly feel included.

Working in a remote-first environment has reinforced this for me. Our teams come from different cities, educational backgrounds, and professional experiences. What brings everyone together isn't similarity—it's creating an environment where every individual feels confident contributing their ideas and knows they'll be treated fairly.

One practice I've found particularly important is encouraging open communication regardless of hierarchy. Some of the most valuable ideas come from people who are closest to the work, not necessarily those with the most senior titles. Leaders who genuinely listen create stronger teams because employees know their perspectives matter.

Another important aspect is fairness in everyday decisions. Employees notice whether opportunities, recognition, feedback, and development are distributed consistently. Inclusion isn't something people experience during onboarding alone—it becomes visible in the way they're treated throughout their time with the organization.

Managers also play a critical role. Employees don't experience company culture through policies—they experience it through their manager. Leaders who encourage different viewpoints, provide constructive feedback, and create space for learning naturally build stronger teams where people feel they belong.

To me, belonging isn't about making everyone think the same way. It's about creating an environment where people with different experiences can contribute confidently, challenge ideas respectfully, and focus on doing great work without feeling they need to fit a particular mold.

5. What is the biggest misconception organizations have about diversity, equity, and inclusion, and what practical steps can leaders take to create meaningful and lasting change?

One misconception I often see is that DEI is primarily an HR initiative. I don't think that's true.

HR can create policies, design fair hiring processes, and recommend best practices, but culture is ultimately shaped by the decisions leaders make every single day. If managers don't consistently demonstrate fairness, respect, and openness, even the strongest DEI strategy will struggle to create meaningful impact.

Another misconception is that DEI and meritocracy compete with each other. In my view, they should reinforce one another. Organizations should always hire and promote based on capability and performance while ensuring every individual has an equal opportunity to demonstrate their potential. Fairness isn't about lowering standards—it's about removing unnecessary barriers that prevent capable people from succeeding.

For leaders looking to create lasting change, I'd recommend focusing on practical actions rather than symbolic ones.

Build objective hiring and promotion processes. Make expectations clear. Encourage open dialogue within teams. Invest in developing managers, because they're responsible for the everyday employee experience. Most importantly, listen to employees and be willing to improve based on what you hear.

Meaningful culture isn't created through a single campaign or annual event. It's built through hundreds of small decisions that consistently show people they're trusted, respected, and given a fair opportunity to grow. Those daily actions have a far greater impact than any presentation or awareness session.

When organizations get those fundamentals right, diversity becomes a natural strength, inclusion becomes part of everyday work, and stronger business performance follows.

6. Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers that we didn't cover in this interview?

If there's one thing I'd like readers to take away, it's that HR is one of the few functions that has the opportunity to positively influence almost every stage of a person's professional journey.

Throughout my own career—from building a business, to working in recruitment, to now leading HR & Operations—I've realized that people rarely leave because of a single policy or process. More often, they leave because they stop seeing opportunities to learn, contribute, or feel connected to the organization's mission. That realization has shaped the way I approach HR and leadership.

The workplace will continue to evolve. AI will become more capable, organizations will become more global, and new ways of working will emerge. But qualities like integrity, empathy, accountability, curiosity, and continuous learning will always remain valuable because they're what enable people to build trust and work effectively together.

I'd also encourage HR professionals to spend more time understanding the business they're supporting. The stronger your understanding of business goals, the better you'll be at making decisions that benefit both employees and the organization. In my experience, the most effective HR leaders are those who can build trust with people while also helping the business grow.

Finally, I'd like to thank The Daily Pulse for creating a platform that encourages meaningful conversations around leadership, workplace culture, and the future of work. I hope discussions like these inspire more organizations to view HR not simply as a support function, but as a strategic partner in building great businesses through great people.