Bringing Mountaintop Experiences to the Workplace

When I returned to work in Pune, India, I described my mountaintop experience to my Magna team.

We often share our concern for the challenges facing our planet as we contribute our talents to nearly every aspect of mobility, from powertrain and exteriors to mechatronics. We’re making a difference for our customers and consumers around the world as we design systems and solutions for environmentally responsible products and the car of the future.

But we are also responsible for taking care of ourselves. I go to the mountains not just to be inspired by nature; I go to stay healthy and fit. I try to set an example for my 600 Magna colleagues, so I tell them about my commitment to doing yoga regularly in the morning. This practice improves my mental agility, physical stamina, and played a significant role in rejuvenating my spirits during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But we do more than talk about a great work-life balance. We celebrate International Yoga Day and hold classes to explain the importance of making yoga a regular part of a fitness regimen. We have created an optional remote work policy for our engineers here. My philosophy: If you want to sustain your team and get the best out of them every day, a work-life balance is critical.

Giving back is important, too, which is why our work goes far beyond developing smart vehicle innovations and reducing our carbon footprint.

Recently, we launched an initiative to help blind students in Pune with devices that will help them become more independent. Our employees volunteer in local schools, like the one in Thakarwadi village, where we built a long-term sustainable infrastructure and talked to the students about the importance of education. We tell them “We want you to graduate, become engineers and join us!”

Our team in India is growing, creating a lot of opportunity for the best talent – people who long for those mountaintop experiences in their careers and in our common home.