Okhai offers handcrafted products created by rural artisans from across India. The viable and sustainable business shows double digit growth. Women on Wings and Okhai partner since 2 years, during which they worked on Okhai’s strategy, supply chain optimization and process effectiveness. The need of the hour now was to grow the team further.
Spaghetti helps building team
Okhai works with a highly diverse team across multiple locations. To improve team work, Esther Goethart, HR expert at Women on Wings, conducted a 2 days’ workshop with 20 members of Okhai’s team. They worked on understanding the principles of a good team by using the ‘Pyramid of Lencioni’, a powerful tool for team development, group dynamics and team building. This included a fun team building game: building a tower of spaghetti and marsh mellows.
Taking Okhai to next level
Esther Goethart: “With the insights, we defined action plans, both team and individual. The plan is simple, effective and goal oriented. What and how does Okhai want to improve? Who and what do they need to implement this plan. All issues were discussed right from Okhai’s business head to new employees in their first month. Everyone contributed in the workshop. I am convinced this will result in a stronger team which will take Okhai to the next level.”
Joint mission
The workshop was done in keeping with the joint mission of Okhai and Women on Wings since August 2016: to create more livelihood opportunities for rural women. Also with Okhai’s growing business, the earning potential of these artisans will grow which will nurture the future generations. Okhai was set up by Tata Chemicals Society for Rural Development (TCSRD). With TCSRD’s support, self-help groups have been formed in the villages of Okhamanda, Gujarat. The women artisans are trained in the processes of modern handicraft production which they can do at their pace, from their homes.
