HR practices are often seen as the backbone of any organisation – driving more than just hiring and payroll by fostering culture, enabling growth, and aligning individual aspirations with business goals. In the dynamic and fast-evolving world of aesthetic medicine, these practices can significantly influence clinic performance, team morale, and patient satisfaction.
Amrita Chowdhury, currently serving as Vice President & Head HR at Kaya Ltd, is a dynamic HR leader and people champion. With experience across diverse industries like aesthetic dermatology, QSR, pharma, and biotech, she blends strategic insight with deep empathy for people. A recognised HR 40Under40 Leader, Hay-certified job evaluator, and OD practitioner, Amrita is known for driving cultural transformation, leadership development, and operational excellence through data-driven HR strategies and people-first initiatives.
At the recently concluded Aesthetic Medicine India Conference & Exhibition 2025, held in Mumbai this June, she joined the speaker lineup to engage with aesthetic medicine practitioners, clinic owners, and managers, addressing the pivotal role of HR in clinic management. What followed was an insightful exchange of questions, experiences, and practical strategies. Excerpts from her talk and interaction with the audience:
Can you walk us through the role of HR in an aesthetic practice setup like Kaya?
HR engages with people at every stage of their lifecycle – starting from hiring, onboarding, and explaining the company culture, to handling administrative tasks like salaries, payroll, and incentives. More importantly, HR plays a critical role in aligning the aspirations of individuals with the goals of the company. For instance, at Kaya, we employ around 130 doctors. It was a learning experience for me to understand how medical professionals, especially MD doctors, perceive their careers, different from those in the corporate world. HR essentially builds a bridge between individual goals and organisational objectives, helping everyone grow and thrive within the system.
In aesthetic or plastic surgery clinics, most patients come in the evening after work. But the female staff prefer to leave by 7-7:30 pm due to personal or safety concerns. This misalignment creates staffing issues. How do you manage this?
This is a common challenge, not just in aesthetic clinics but across the retail and service industry. At Kaya and even in my previous role as HR in the restaurant industry, we saw that customer footfall is highest post-working hours.
We usually assign shifts – for example, if there are two doctors in a clinic, one takes the morning shift and the other handles the evening. Similarly, skeletal staff work in the morning, and more staff come in later. In cities like Mumbai, an 8 pm shift is not considered late. However, in regions where safety is a concern, we address it by being transparent at the time of hiring about shift expectations. We also offer drop services in select areas.
Setting the right expectations during hiring and offering targeted support – like transport in high-risk zones – helps manage this better.
How do you handle situations where costly devices or injectables are damaged by staff? Are there any protocols or penalties in place?
This is a sensitive topic. At Kaya, we invest a lot in training. Our therapists undergo 45 days to two months of training, ensuring they understand the technical and operational consequences of mishandling machines. That said, mistakes still happen. We do not penalise heavily because machines are expensive and recovering full costs from an employee is impractical. Instead, if there is clear evidence, we may withhold a small part of their incentive as a token gesture – but the focus remains on accountability and retraining. We also face machine damage when devices are moved between clinics or rooms, especially during peak seasons like weddings. So, we have increased training on packing, unpacking, and setting up machines to reduce such issues.
Can you elaborate on the “Doctor First” culture at Kaya?
Absolutely. Last year, we began a “Doctor First” initiative where we tried to understand the unique career goals of our doctors, especially since 95 per cent of our frontline staff are women. Senior doctors typically seek stability and a long-term association, while younger doctors are more focused on learning and exposure to technology.
We have developed separate tracks for high-potential young doctors and senior doctors. We also host the Kaya Glow Conference annually in destinations like Karjat or Goa, offering both clinical knowledge and team-building experiences. Additionally, we offer different earning models and even co-ownership options for clinics.
What is the correct approach to termination?
Termination happens under two circumstances: integrity issues (like fraud) and performance issues. In the case of integrity breaches, there is no compromise – it results in immediate termination with proper documentation. No severance is paid if the employment contract states so. For performance issues, we take a more humane approach: Coaching, training, and if that does not work, we ask them to look for other opportunities. It is about helping them exit gracefully rather than abruptly.
For new clinic owners with limited staff and budgets, is it advisable to hire an HR manager or delegate the role?
For smaller setups, hiring a full-time HR manager is not cost-effective. Instead, I recommend having a senior clinic staff or manager double up as an HR point of contact. You can also engage freelance consultants to set up your basic HR documents and contracts. The key is to implement simple processes – like daily or weekly check-ins, assigning clear responsibilities, and setting expectations. This helps doctors focus on patient care while ensuring smooth staff management.
Can a junior or intern doctor take on HR-related tasks like following up with patients?
Absolutely! That is if they are open to it. In fact, patients feel special when they receive a follow-up call from a doctor. It shows personal attention and care. However, such tasks should only be assigned after a candid conversation and mutual agreement. Managing people is an essential skill, even for growing doctors.
What if a staff member misplaces a consent form that could have legal implications?
At Kaya, we have moved to digital documentation to prevent such issues. But for clinics that have not, the best course is to issue a formal warning letter. Repeated carelessness leads to termination. If there is wilful negligence that causes financial loss, a penalty can be considered on a case-by-case basis.
As organisations expand across cities, how do you maintain cultural consistency and resolve inter-location conflicts?
At Kaya, with 78 clinics, and in my previous role with 700+ outlets, we have found success by anchoring everyone to a few core values – like customer centricity. We keep reinforcing these values during visits, communications, and town halls. Appreciating those who reflect the company culture and correcting those who don’t. It is not an overnight process, but consistency is key.
Which platforms are most effective for hiring clinic staff and managers?
For clinic managers, Naukri.com and LinkedIn are great platforms. We also rely heavily on referrals and occasionally work with recruitment consultants. For technicians or blue-collar staff, platforms like Indeed, OLX Jobs, and WorkIndia offer cost-effective, short-term subscription models and access to a wider talent pool.