Advice for a Project Manager Moving to India

COVID and Project Management in India

As the world continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, countries are implementing a variety of protocols and measures to try and contain the spread of the virus. In India, this has included a nationwide lockdown, as well as a number of restrictions on movement and social interaction. For project managers in India, these measures have presented a unique set of challenges. In some cases, projects have been put on hold or even cancelled due to the restrictions. In other cases, project managers have had to adapt their plans and schedules to accommodate the new reality. Despite the challenges, project managers in India have generally been able to adapt and continue to deliver successful projects. In many cases, this has been made possible by the use of technology and communication tools that allow work to continue remotely. It is also worth noting that the resilience and resourcefulness of Indians is often lauded in the face of adversity, which has no doubt helped many projects to weather the storm.

As Mookerjee et al. (2021) point out, there has been a big impact on culture in India as a result of the Corona Virus Pandemic: for one thing, the lockdowns have been especially hard, and has meant that people are confined to their homes, with no opportunity to socialize or take part in cultural activities. Yet in India, socializing out of doors is a huge part of life, and to deny people this opportunity is detrimental to their way of life. Thus, the pandemic has had a significant impact on mental health, with many people reporting increased levels of anxiety and depression (Grover et al., 2020). The economic impact of the pandemic has also been severe, with millions of people losing their jobs and businesses struggling to survive. The pandemic has also resulted in a rise in xenophobia, with many Indians feeling that they are being unfairly blamed for the spread of the virus. In spite of all these challenges, the Indian people have shown great resilience and resolve in tackling the pandemic, and this is something that project management can hold onto as a sign of hope.

Advice I would give to someone working as a project manager in India, dealing the effects of the pandemic, would be to embrace the work-from-home opportunities that have arisen, but be sure to keep communication lines open. As Singh et al. (2020) show, more Indians are eager to work from home to avoid coming into contact with the virus, and this may be the only way to get projects moving. Larson and Gray (2017) emphasize the need to keep communication lines open in order for projects to be managed successfully. This means that if virtual projects are going to be the norm in India, a project manager is going to want to have some virtual management training in place. But there is also another type of training that will be needed—and this is cultural training.

Cultural training is important for a project manager because it helps one appreciate the language, the customs, how to socially interact, and how to appreciate the culture of the host country (Larson & Gray, 2017). Depending on the amount of time that will be spent in India, as a project manager you will want to ensure that your team has sufficient cultural training. This could be anywhere from one week to months of in-depth cultural training; it all depends on the length of time that will be spent there. Naturally, the longer you are there, the more in-depth you will want your training to be.

Thus, in the wake of the COVID pandemic, a project manager in India will invariably face a unique set of challenges. Not only must one contend with the logistical difficulties of working in a country with a high number of coronavirus cases, but he also will need to be sensitive to the fact that India is a culturally diverse country with a wide range of customs and traditions. India is not just a place where everyone is a Hindu; on the country, it is a mix of many religions—from Hinduism to Islam to Christianity and more. Each state, moreover, has its own language—and there are many states. India can be said to be like a large collection of many different types of people who are collectively called Indians but who are vastly different in terms of diet, culture, views, and so on. The Indians of the South, for instance, are very different in features, language, and religion, than Indians in the very north.

In my opinion the best way and top consideration for the project manager to overcome these challenges is to provide cultural training for all members of the project team. This training should cover topics such as proper dress and etiquette, communication styles, and religious beliefs. By taking the time to learn about the culture of India, project managers can ensure that their projects are respectful of local customs and traditions and are more likely to be successful. In addition, by building relationships with key members of the local community, project managers can gain valuable insights into the culture and how best to approach new projects. India is a vast and culturally diverse country, with a rich history and many different customs and traditions. As such, it is essential for project managers to learn about the culture of India before embarking on any new projects.