In conversation with Harshvardhan Galat
Since starting at Lindström Harshvardhan Galat has worked on many projects
Harshvardhan Galat (LinkedIn) joined Lindström in 2010. He now works as the head of Cleanroom Services and is a member of the management team for India. He is responsible for the entire Cleanroom service line in India. Harsh joined the company in 2010 as a sales trainee, and since then, he has taken on multiple different roles. He has been in positions like sales manager, business manager, and business unit manager. Harsh’s team consists of seven people: two production managers for two business units, two customer service managers, and one key account manager.
“The working culture is the main reason I have stayed this long at Lindström”
According to Harsh, India has an open work culture that values transparency.
“This fosters familiarity between colleagues and their families, making work easier and even more fun. The tagline “We care” reflects everything Lindström does such as leadership behaviour, personal aspects, and growth opportunities. I’ve been granted growth opportunities within Lindström and have seen many others be given the same chances. The sustainability aspect is essential at Lindström and the company “walks the walk”, which shows in many parts of the business.”
Responsibility as a driving factor
Tasks with a high level of responsibility motivate me to get up and go to work
Harsh’s work is critical for his customers; this responsibility inspires and motivates him daily. He is responsible for approximately 200 employees, which means that his decisions affect his employees, making him consider his choices and whether they will benefit his people.
“If you have the right attitude, Lindström is full of opportunities”
When Harsh joined Lindström in 2010, it was a new two-year-old company in India and unknown in the country. After 13 years, Lindström has become a well-known company nationwide.
“The biggest surprises were the business model, as Lindström was the first company to represent the concept of workwear services in India, and that it really works. I was surprised by the fact that so many well-known companies became customers, but it did make me extremely happy and proud of the work we are doing.”
Growth opportunities and responsibility
“All I know is thanks to Lindström”
According to Harsh, Lindström is a highly progressive company that drives employees to try and implement new things. When he joined Lindström, everything was manual, and hardly anything was digital.
“Now, Lindström is the forerunner in the digitalisation of the service model. This enables employees to work on new skills and tools, granting them new opportunities for personal growth. Growth Academy is the company’s global training platform that enables employees to improve their skills and grow professionally. In addition to courses, face-to-face meetings, and lectures, on-the-job training plays a vital role in diving into the nitty-gritty of a new position.”
Collaboration and communication
“My main task is people management”
The profile of Harsh’s work requires him to travel a lot, which means he only works from the office once a week, and for the remaining days, he is on the field with the sales team and key account managers. “As I am responsible for his team’s performance, efficiency, and development, and you cannot do this from the office alone.”
He communicates with his team to see if there are any challenges (so that they can resolve them together) and to ensure that their customers get the promised world-class service. Harsh firmly believes in collaboration and working together to reach new heights, and he believes in a democratic way of leading the team; he wants to involve the team members in decision-making. His experience has shown him that Millennials and Gen Z understand how everything works, and Harsh appreciates their input in ensuring the best possible outcome for any topic.
Who: Harshvardhan Galat
Role at Lindström: Head of Cleanroom Services for India
Location: Pune, India
Outside of Office: In his free time, Harsh enjoys socialising, meeting his friends and networking. He loves cars and doing road trips with his family, which allow him to get to know new places.