Shikha Sharma has included technology in all spheres of her influence - from work to personal time management.
Hers is actually a corner office. Tucked in one right angle on the top floor of the Axis Bank headquarters is where CEO Shikha Sharma makes some of the most important decisions of the country's third largest private sector bank. We are meeting after a few years and it's apparent to me she has spent energies and emotions on transforming the bank to a nifty, young consumer-driven brand. Her day has been a busy one with a public speaking at a tech multinational's India conference. And it's only by chance our conversation had a digital bend. Sharma has included technology in all spheres of her influence - from work to personal time management.
"I got comfortable with tech earlier on in my career," she shares when I ask her how the new digital-driven world around us is changing her. "Technology for me is an enabler. There are so many things you need to juggle with in life that I just use tech in very simple ways to keep reminders for me."
As one of India's top women CEOs, Sharma has embraced technology in a bid change the approach of Axis Bank towards its customers. "Where banking may go, technology has a big play. How do you provide convenience, customer service, risk management -- all bundled in one lot? With tech, you can put a lot of processes in place as these are very difficult to offer all together in a physical space to a customer. Tech helps you provide a balance between customer experience and risk."
Tech has fundamentally given many the flexibility to work when they want, asserts Sharma. It allows for people to work out of home without taking away from the productivity as it saves on costs for some companies, and travel time and the stress of travel for employees.
"From a workplace perspective, it's giving women the opportunity to continue to participate in their careers without giving up the other roles as mother or a daughter or daughter-in-law or whatever."
The new workplace is far more flexible. Attitudes have changed in the new entrepreneur-led organizations and the rise of digital businesses that have a startup-like culture, allowing freedom of ideas, place of work and more. "When we started, there were few role models as women who were able to balance work and home.
"For all of us as women, you don't want to be a loser in your family role. And therefore, it's a constant question in your mind by becoming a career woman -- are you going to compromise on your family? So having a mentor to go to who is able to balance that well is very important in your ability to stay down that path."
The role of peers -- do they accept women as an equal in the workplace? "Now we have got to the point that people are recognizing having balance in your workforce, having men and women, you get different perspectives and you could actually have a richer decision coming through.
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 "Axis Bank CEO, Shikha Sharma")
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