LEVERAGING EXCITING TIMES IN HR HR For Today And Tomorrow HR today is more about ‘people asset development’ rather than merely dealing with people, says Aquil Busrai (Executive Director-HR, IBM India Pvt. Ltd.) |
 There has never been a more exciting time to be an HR professional. Businesses are demanding greater value-add service from the HR function. With an uncertain global economic scenario, both employees and employers are looking to HR to play a major role in safeguarding their interests. This is a big responsibility and an opportunity. Organisations in the past, looked up to other functions but today, HR has joined the league since the people factor has become the major differentiator. The HR value proposition revolves around creating human abilities and organisational capabilities that are substantially better than those of the competitors. The HR transformation in the 1990s resulted in a shift of HR from a transactional support function to a strategic partner that supported business goals. HR is now changing from a local to a global business partner, and strategic business imperatives for HR now include governance and compliance, risk management, harmony in benefits, talent management, and global mobility. In changing business scenarios, HR managers can no longer react to yearly and monthly hiring needs. They must be actively involved in implementing a multi-faceted talent acquisition strategy. HR has made some headway to help more women employees reach their well deserved decision making and executive roles. It is no longer enough to put employees through the occasional training programme. Organisations need to ensure constant skilling and reskilling of their employees. Technology has become a major facilitator for cost-effective training. But the business scenario has slowly turned more turbulent. Handling downsizing and the economic slowdown requires a different set of competencies and mindsets. When an organisation undertakes downsizing, the HR needs to ensure that the interests of both parties (organisation and employees) are addressed in the process. Today’s young generation of workers have attitudes that differ from prior generations. Gen Y places work-life balance above loyalty, and it tends to move around to experience different industries and challenges. Building leadership strengths, managing the talent pipeline, and building a strong and attractive employer brand have been the key focus areas for HR. Processes that identify and develop potential leadership talent and build flexibility within the company to bring in greater work-life balance are becoming increasingly relevant. |
HR is one of the most important features in an economy where there is an increasing shift towards service-based industries. The HR function must enable the organisation to effectively source, evaluate and motivate employees. It is no longer sufficient for HR to excel in just one area; it must perform all roles effectively to contribute to long-term success of the organisation. However, HR also needs to ensure that its own fraternity has the capabilities to provide strategic guidance to the business. To allow time to focus on these strategic issues, the next generation HR must promote the use of shared services and employee self-service. HR outsourcing has been an important aspect of this transformation, enabling many organisations to decrease their administrative and transactional burdens. HR professionals in high performing organisations actively translate their knowledge to contribute in strategic decision making, develop competitive cultures, make change happen expeditiously, and create market-driven connectivity. These new HR agendas also require that HR professionals shift their focus to the value chain, beginning with external customers and competitors. In the past, it was sufficient for HR professionals to have knowledge about each aspect of the value chain. The new HR agenda requires greater knowledge of the mechanisms by which value chain components are strategically and operationally integrated in order to make the organisational whole greater than the sum of its parts. HR can be defined as a dynamic and changing profession with future career opportunities in senior management, as well as in specialist career paths within HR itself. HR technology and systems, employer brand management, talent management, training and development, change management, and workforce planning and recruiting are now the domains of HR specialists. HR continues to balance the demands of different roles - business partner, internal consultant, operational and administrative expert, and both employee and employer advocate. Today, HR is more than just about dealing with people – it is about ‘people asset development’. Get close to the business, focus less on basic HR transactions, and focus more on adding business value. These are the mantras for HR today. |
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