Saurabh Chhabra, Talent Acquisition Manager, and Meghna Verma, Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist, are a part of Expedia Group’s Global Talent Acquisition team, and are based in the Gurgaon, India, office. As well as identifying strategies to hire the foremost talent for EG, they are the India Chapter Leads for AIM (Ability Inclusion Movement at Expedia Group), and use their platform to raise awareness across the office for fostering a more inclusive environment for People With Disability (PWD) colleagues.

Read on to find out more about Saurabh and Meghna’s roles at EG, what they enjoy about working in the Gurgaon office, and why they wanted to be Chapter Leads for AIM.

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The Ability Inclusion Movement at Expedia Group promotes a culture where people with disabilities have a safe space, feel a sense of belonging, and can advocate for and achieve their full potential at Expedia Group. The group creates an environment where every person – regardless of disability status – is strong, safe, empowered and heard.

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Tell us about yourselves and your time at Expedia Group so far.

Meghna: I’m a Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist, and I have been at Expedia Group for over 3 years. I focus on leveraging innovative recruitment strategies and technologies to stay ahead in a competitive talent market, constantly adapting to evolving trends and industry best practices. As a part of the Global Talent Acquisition team, we identify and hire the foremost talent in our industry. We use various channels and platforms to identify talent whose skills and potential align seamlessly with the values of Expedia Group. 

Our Gurgaon, India, office is a state-of-the-art facility which has some really impactful accessibility features, for example all the meeting room names are written in braille at the entry and there is an evacuation chair, which is reserved for people with a mobility issue, in case of an emergency.

Saurabh: I am a Talent Acquisition Manager and I lead the senior level hiring for tech roles in the APAC region. I have been at EG for more than 3 years now and I work with senior leaders to hire and attract the best talent for their teams across development, program, product, AI, ML, user experience, network, security, and more. Our mission is to recruit the finest talent capable of revolutionizing the travel technology sector and crafting unparalleled future travel products. 

I recently participated in APAC’s very first in-person summit on Disability Inclusion hosted by Disability:IN in Tokyo and co-moderated a work group discussion with a fellow colleague on “APAC Cultural Differences & Navigating the Disability Landscape Across APAC Markets” and facilitated a conversation on the cultural differences in the APAC region that negatively impact people with disabilities and secured recommendations to mitigate that in the future. 

I am a travel enthusiast and have been to 16 countries until now. I make the best use of EG’s travel benefits which gives me the opportunity to book some of the best hotels and activities around the world. I recently visited my dream destination, Positano, Italy, last year and I am now planning my next adventure. When I am not hiring the best talent and not travelling, you will find me playing sport, most likely Badminton.   

What are some of the responsibilities that come with being a Chapter Lead? 

Saurabh & Meghna: Some of our responsibilities include: creating an agenda for the local chapter which is in sync with the global AIM board, leading core team strategy meetings, hosting events in order to spread more awareness amongst India colleagues, collaborating with other IBG’s and host common events on related topics, as well as working with the global board and other local AIM chapter leads on various activations throughout the year.

How has being a Chapter Lead helped you to support people with disabilities?

Saurabh: AIM has enhanced my awareness of various facets of PWD talent, including the diverse types of disabilities, the challenges they encounter, appropriate communication etiquette, and strategies for promoting their success in the workplace. 

Serving as a Chapter Lead for AIM has been immensely beneficial, especially in my additional role of spearheading the hiring initiatives for PWD talent in India for EG. As a Chapter Lead, I have the platform and opportunity to raise awareness among EG India leaders through various events throughout the year, thereby fostering a more inclusive environment for PWD talent within our teams. 

Being involved with AIM has empowered me to take a holistic approach, whether it’s improving infrastructure facilities, implementing inclusive hiring practices, enhancing accommodations, collaborating with NGOs to raise awareness and recruit top PWD talent, or educating our leaders about available talent and aligning them with our open opportunities. 

What are some activities that you’ve hosted, or attended?

Saurabh & Meghna: Some of our activations have included: conducting an in-person Ally Workshop in the Gurgaon Office with specific scenarios on mental health, delivering a session with a phycologist on “Recognizing and Addressing Mental Health Concerns at Workplace” with 55 employees joining in-person and 40 on zoom. We shared heart warming stories on various slack channels on international Men’s Day written by EG India Employees focused on men’s mental health challenges. We also raised awareness about Autism through multiple Slack channels on World Autism Awareness Day.

What have you learned from being a part of AIM?

Meghna: Being in AIM has been really enlightening. It’s shown me how crucial it is to include everyone in everything. Being part of this group has helped me understand the importance of accepting, and celebrating, our differences. It’s about seeing how each person’s unique qualities make our group stronger. AIM has empowered me to be more empathetic, compassionate, and understanding, fostering a sense of unity and belonging within our community. I feel it’s important for everyone to be included. I have a personal inclination to help make society fairer by supporting things like making places accessible for everyone, raising awareness about different abilities at Expedia Group. Encouraging people to accept each other & creating a safer environment for people with different abilities. 

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