People First
From its beginnings in 1995 to its 30-year legacy today, People First has quietly transformed how India thinks about hiring—not as a transaction, but as a truth-driven alignment between role, person, and organisation.
Chennai / Bengaluru:
In a world where hiring often feels like a rushed transaction—CVs stacked, interviews clocked, positions filled—People First has quietly rewritten the script. Since its founding in 1995, this Chennai-based consultancy has built a 30-year legacy not by being louder, but by being deeper.
Founded by Arul Dev, People First has worked with hundreds of organizations across industries. Yet their presence has been intentionally understated: no glossy campaigns, no aggressive pitches. Instead, what they offer is something rare in the HR landscape—a mirror.
“Hiring, at its deepest, is not just about people. It’s about presence. It’s about whether the role, the person, and the organisation are ready to meet each other in truth,” says Arul.
The Power of Depth
People First believes every role has an energy of its own—almost like a living entity. Instead of pushing candidates into roles, they listen deeply to both the organisation and the individual, creating matches that go beyond skills and titles.
As one senior HR leader from a Fortune 500 company puts it:
“They don’t sell people. They help you see your culture clearly and choose wisely from there. It feels less like recruitment, more like therapy for the role.”
Radical Experiments in Hiring
To mark their 30th anniversary in 2025, People First chose to celebrate not with fireworks but with two quiet revolutions:
- Hiring with Depth – an invitation-only reflective experience, no forms, no fanfare. Leaders walked away saying they gained in 30 minutes what hiring sprints failed to deliver in months.
- The No-Contract Pilot Hire – perhaps the boldest move yet. They placed candidates with no upfront contracts or fees, simply trusting alignment. The result? Those hires stayed, and clients returned with deeper respect.
Both initiatives speak to their courage to challenge norms and place truth above transactions.
A Presence, Not a Pitch
People First’s philosophy goes beyond filling roles. It’s about creating alignment between role, person, and organisation. Their work is less about supply chains of talent and more about building cultures of trust and clarity.
Instead of positioning themselves as recruiters, they step in as thought partners. Leaders describe the experience as “gentle but transformative”—a conversation that shifts perspectives rather than just processes.
Why This Matters Now
At a time when AI and algorithms threaten to reduce hiring to checkboxes, People First reminds us of the human essence of work. They are showing India Inc. that depth and presence are not luxuries—they are competitive advantages.
Their story is not about volume, but about values. Not about speed, but about stillness. And in that stillness, organisations find something they didn’t know they were missing: truth.
About People First
Established in 1995, People First has built a reputation over three decades as a consultancy that partners with organisations in India and beyond. Its founder Arul Dev, an author and leadership coach, continues to guide the practice with an unwavering belief that the future of hiring is not in transactions, but in presence.
This September, Arul will also be an exclusive speaker at the GCC Leadership Conclave in Bengaluru (3rd Sept), further underlining People First’s position at the forefront of conversations on conscious leadership.
Beyond the boardroom, People First has extended its support to social impact movements, including the InBidz Global Art Contest—a unique initiative blending creativity with tree planting—reflecting their alignment with causes that go deeper than business.
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