At Myntra, people mix work and play without compromising on results: Ananth Narayanan, CEO

Before e-commerce giant Flipkart roped in Ananth Narayanan to join Myntra as its CEO, he was a consultant with worldwide management consulting firm McKinsey & Company. Coming from an organisation where suits ruled the boardroom, Narayanan was in for a culture shock. He witnessed office spaces designed to serve as second homes to employees and policies drafted to help them efficiently balance work and home lives. Gradually, Narayanan became a part of the changing tide of corporate work culture.

In this interview, he speaks about the modern office and the requirements of the contemporary workforce.

What led to Myntra’s trendsetting office space?
For me, a trend is an idea, invention, or differentiated approach that fundamentally changes how people, organisations, and society conduct themselves. Trends tend to shape and change the ecosystem permanently. In an industry like fashion, it is important to have a vibrant and open culture that spawns creativity and nurtures talent. Given that our employees spend a considerable portion of their day in the office, it
is important that the work space reflects the culture one wants to build. Hence, our culture and office are intertwined. Our vibrant and colourful office space underscores our commitment to create a vibrant and fun culture at work.

What are the trendsetting work policies at Myntra?
We have some pretty cool policies and perks. Women employees have the option of a six-month maternity leave and flexible work models upon return. We have dedicated space at work for thinking and relaxing. At Myntra, it is quite common for people to mix work and play without compromising on their deliverables.

What was your first reaction to the office space?
It was a big surprise. I was used to a very formal and minimalistic workplace and Myntra was dramatically different. However, after the initial surprise, I found the environment to be extremely refreshing and invigorating.

How has it been to witness shifting work cultures?
I see two big shifts in the workplace over the past decade (a) Approach to doing business has changed from linear to non-linear, and (b) Organisations no longer view employees as resources, but as partners in their success. The emergence of technology giants (such as Google) and new age start-ups has played a big role.

Who are the individuals you see as trendsetters?
I see Virat Kohli being a major influencer for our youth [both with his attitude towards the game, and confidence]. I see these qualities in our employees today. The entrepreneurship bug that bit India with the growth of Flipkart and other Indian unicorns has been game-changing. A lot of college goers think about starting companies, something that was non-existent 10 to 15 years ago.

Lessons from new-age employees
The biggest lesson I learnt while working with a young staff was that today’s employees (most of who are millennials) have a very different mindset compared to those from 10-15 years ago. The present generation brings a degree of fearlessness, energy to challenge the status quo, and ideas that spur innovation. At the same time, this generation is big on getting their space and flexibility. The challenge is how to channel all of this towards implementation.