For many Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and MSMEs in
India, growth brings a unique crisis. The business is scaling, revenue is
increasing, and the team is expanding. Yet, the culture often struggles
to keep up.
In these organizations, HR is typically viewed as a
functional role—focused on payroll, recruitment, and attendance. Who, then,
looks after the Strategic Behavior, Employer Brand, and Professional
Standards of the workforce?
This is the precise gap that Palette, led by Principal
Image Consultant and Founder Prajakta Bhujbal, is filling. Operating as an External
HRBP Partner, Palette is redefining how SMEs manage their most visible
asset: their people.
The Problem: The "Admin vs. Strategy" Gap in
SMEs
In large MNCs, entire departments are dedicated to
Organizational Development (OD) and Learning & Development (L&D). In an
SME, the HR manager is often overwhelmed with administrative tasks.
As a result, critical "soft" aspects get ignored:
- Technically
skilled managers who lack leadership presence.
- Client-facing
teams with poor grooming or etiquette.
- Inconsistent
communication styles that confuse clients.
- A
"family-run" vibe that fails to attract top professional talent.
Palette steps in as the External Strategic Partner to fix
these specific gaps.
How Palette Refines the HRBP Role
Prajakta Bhujbal and her team do not handle payroll or
hiring. Instead, they handle Professional Standardization. They work
alongside the internal HR team to introduce frameworks that professionalize the
workforce.
Here is how Palette bridges the gap:
1. Standardizing the "Frame of Appearance"
An SME often has a casual, undefined dress code that can
look unprofessional to global clients.
- The
Palette Intervention: acting as the HRBP, Palette audits the company’s
current image. They create Grooming Guidelines and Dress Codes
(ABC - Appearance) that are culturally appropriate yet professional.
- The
Result: A unified "Company Look" that signals reliability
and brand consistency to customers.
2. Middle Management Transformation (The KCCB Model)
The biggest pain point for MSMEs is the "accidental
manager"—loyal employees who were promoted but lack leadership skills.
- The
Palette Intervention: Using the KCCB Model (Knowledge, Career,
Community, Business), Palette trains these managers on Executive
Presence and Behavior. They move from being "doers"
to being "leaders" who can represent the company in boardrooms.
- The
Result: The Founder no longer needs to be in every meeting. The middle
layer becomes capable of carrying the company’s reputation.
3. Defining "The Way We Behave" (Etiquette
& Culture)
Culture is not what is written on the wall; it is how people
behave when the boss is not looking.
- The
Palette Intervention: Palette codifies Business Etiquette. From
email protocols to how to handle a client lunch, Palette sets the
standard. They turn vague expectations into clear behavioral rules.
- The
Result: A reduction in internal friction and a boost in client
satisfaction scores.
4. Building the Employer Brand (Digital Presence)
SMEs struggle to hire top talent because they often look
outdated online.
- The
Palette Intervention: Palette works with the leadership team to clean
up and professionalize their Digital Presence (LinkedIn profiles,
corporate headshots, and company bio).
- The
Result: The company looks like a "Brand," not just a small
business, attracting better talent and bigger partners.
Bridging the Founder’s Vision with Employee Reality
The unique value Prajakta Bhujbal brings as a founder
herself is the ability to understand the SME owner’s mindset.
Founders often say, “My team doesn’t get my vision.”
Palette translates that vision into tangible Image and
Behavior goals.
By acting as an External HRBP, Palette offers the expertise
of a Chief People Officer without the full-time cost. They provide the
"polish" that allows an Indian SME to compete with global giants.
The ROI for MSMEs
For a growing business, Palette is not a cost; it is an
investment in Scalability.
When an SME engages Palette as an External HRBP partner,
they are effectively saying: “We are no longer a small shop. We are a
professional institution.”
By refining the human element through Appearance, Behavior,
and Communication Palette ensures that as the business grows in revenue, it
also grows in Reputation.
