Human resource and culture are among the primary forces that drive a company forward. At Scott Wilson Nepal, we nurture both of them. Our effort has always been to cultivate a creative workplace environment where employees can freely think of innovative new ways to tackle difficult problems. It is our determination to empower employees that has led us to start बिहानी चौतारी, a bright new initiative geared towards bringing out the best in each of us.

बिहानी चौतारी is a daily session where all of us convene early in the morning for 15-30 minutes to think way, way outside the box. The agenda is flexible and the ideas that can be discussed are infinite. We are encouraged to share anything from professional growth strategies to brilliant marketing techniques for our company. In short, बिहानी चौतारी is a time when we get out of our comfort zones, put on our brainstorming hats and have deliberate conversations with each other.

For instance, one of our most recent sessions was led by Suruchi Upadhyay – a Learning Management Researcher and a supportive colleague. She shared with us her valuable learnings from a recent research trip in Ethiopia and did a marvelous job at exemplifying her unique set of expertise. One concept we all grasped from her presentation was the power of passion. She showed us that when things don’t go as planned, be it at work or in life, it is passion and determination to succeed that takes us forward.

Another session that really churned our brain juice was led by Pawan Timsina – a distinguished Engineer and a high-in-demand employee. His topic in focus was “how to make cities more women-friendly?” By taking an example of Barcelona, Pawan highlighted strategies to promote inclusivity through design. The discussion that followed his presentation were significant. Since we are heavily involved in planning and designing integrated settlements in select regions of Nepal for a project called Durable Solutions, the concept of inclusivity has a very special place in our hearts. All of us were given an opportunity to share our perspectives on how to make our homes, communities, cities, and world more inclusive. For 30 minutes that day, Pawan concocted a microcosm of innovative ideas.

At Scott Wilson Nepal, we have accepted that culture is a collective phenomenon that requires unwavering support from each member within our institution. We have realized that it is our responsibility to help ourselves, and our company, reach new heights. In powerful words, बिहानी चौतारी is an initiative to turn our office into a place of belonging.