Deepika Jindal on building bridges: connecting academia, industry and purpose

I grew up in Ludhiana, Punjab (India), where I completed both my schooling and my university education. My father passed away unexpectedly less than a year after I graduated with my Bachelor of Commerce (BCom). With six children to care for – five of them unmarried daughters – my mother faced immense responsibility as my father was the sole earning member of the family. Understandably, she preferred that I stay close to home rather than pursue further studies outside the city.

Fortunately, the local university, Punjab Agricultural University, offered a Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme. I prepared diligently for the entrance exam, while navigating the grief of losing my father a month prior. Admission required not only passing the exam but also a group discussion and an intensive final interview. I wasn’t sure how well I had performed, so it came as a complete shock when the list of successful applicants was posted. I had secured the top position, ranked first among all candidates.

Though I specialised in Finance and Accounting during my BCom and MBA, I found myself drawn to Human Resource Management (HRM) – a relatively new field at the time. I have always been curious about people: what motivates them, how they think, and why they behave the way they do. HR gave me a lens to explore those questions more deeply, even if it wasn’t yet widely recognised as a strategic discipline.

During MBA campus placements, I was interviewed by Trident Limited, a manufacturing organisation in a rapid growth phase. Trident has now grown into the largest manufacturer of terry towels and one of the largest integrated home textile manufacturers in the world, with more than 15,000 employees and global reach in more than 150 countries.

The interview was conducted by the Founder CEO and the Head of my Department at the university. The Founder CEO was building the organisation at that time and used to go to campus recruitments to hire graduates. I shared with him my interest in understanding what brings out the best in people and expressed a desire to work on HR-related projects. That conversation led to my first role at Trident.

I spent ten years at Trident, starting in the Management Information System (strategy) department and gradually transitioning into HR. Reporting directly to the Founder CEO, I was exposed to a dynamic environment that included diverse business units, a mix of blue- and white-collar employees, and complex stakeholder relationships. I had the opportunity to work across several areas of HRM: right from recruitment, to training, to performance management, and rewards. I also worked across various large scale employee engagement and organisation development projects. It was an enriching formative experience that shaped my understanding of people and organisations.

Just before the birth of my second son, I stepped away from Trident to focus on family. A year after, I did some consulting in learning and development for a couple of years. In 2013, I moved to New Zealand to pursue a PhD in Human Resource Management at the University of Auckland.

Initially, I planned to return to industry. But, like many immigrants, I found it challenging to secure a role without local experience. In 2014, I began working as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University, and that experience sparked a new passion: teaching. I earned my Doctorate in the May 2018 graduation ceremony and started working as a Professional Teaching Fellow in 2019.

My PhD research focused on employee engagement and a concept I encountered early in my studies: job crafting. It’s the idea that individuals can shape their work to align with their strengths, passions, and values. I had a big ‘aha’ moment as I realised that I have been crafting my life, career and job even without being consciously aware of it.

Since then, I’ve shared insights on job crafting in 25 sessions – ranging from workshops to webinars to small group discussions – both within and outside the University. I am very passionate about people finding meaning in their life and work. I encourage individuals to see themselves as active agents in shaping meaningful work. I advise line managers that providing support for job crafting brings a win-win for both individuals and organisations. I discuss with HR practitioners the value of integrating job crafting into organisational practices, such as recruitment, performance conversations, and learning and development policies, among others.

To deepen my understanding of effective teaching, I completed a Master of Higher Education from the University’s Faculty of Education. My research in this degree explored how masters students engage in job crafting during their HRM consulting projects. I was the academic supervisor of two cohorts of Master of Human Resource Management students, who had already graduated at the time of data collection. This work added a new dimension to my understanding of job crafting behaviours of students who engage in work-related activities through applied industry projects.

As an educator, I am more involved in the scholarship of teaching and learning; however, I have retained a research interest in job crafting.

Beyond the University, I volunteer with Human Resources New Zealand (HRNZ) as Academic Branch President and serve as an Auckland Branch committee member. I’m also a committee member of the Women in Business chapter of the American Chamber of Commerce in New Zealand. These roles allow me to stay connected with industry and bring those insights back to the classroom. They also enable me to work on various collaborative projects that bring value to the University and the industry.

As Director of the Master of Business Management (MBM) programme, I’ve launched initiatives like Career Odyssey – a six-monthly virtual workshop series designed to give our MBM students tools for their career management and career development, and MBM Connect, which links our alumni community with current students. These efforts are part of how I have shaped my Programme Director role to create value for our MBM community.

I find great joy in designing and redesigning courses that ignite the curiosity of students and are interactive, applied and engaging. I encourage students to connect their lived experiences with what they are learning, and I am always looking for ways to bring industry closer to academia.

My approach to my work has always been to follow what feels meaningful, whether in teaching, research, leadership, or service. The rest has unfolded from there. It has led to recognition through University and Business School excellence awards as well as externally, through HRNZ’s 2023 Academic Impact Award and 2025 Leadership Award and HR Person of the Year Award.

In reflecting on my journey, I see myself as a drop in the ocean – part of a vast and interconnected whole. Every step I’ve taken has been supported by the encouragement, belief, and kindness of others: my family, mentors, colleagues, and students. At the same time, I have never seen myself as another brick in the wall. I have always tried to bring my own perspective, curiosity, and values into the work I do. While I stand on the shoulders of many, I have also shaped a path that’s uniquely mine – and for both the support and the autonomy to do so, I am deeply grateful.