C.S. Rao: HR for HRD

HR for HRD

By C.S. Rao

Natural resources like matter and energy can neither be created nor destroyed... they can only be converted from one form to another, which is useful to propagate human life. However, the human resource (HR) in an Organisation as we all agree, provides quite an exception to this time-tested law. Harnessing the human intellectual capital therefore holds the key to prosperity of an Organisation and importance of HR in today's competitive and complex world can hardly be overstated. Very often, it is the quality of HR that makes difference between success and failure of an enterprise. Having said that let us take a close look at the changes that are sweeping the workplace and the people who man it (organisation) to get an idea about challenges that lie ahead for the HRD manager.

Firstly, a look at the workplace. Historically it was recognised only as a center to produce goods and / or provide services required for human consumption. To cope with increasing demand for goods and services the industrial processes in later stages have become more dependent on automated, mass production systems. As the production rates in industry far exceeded the demand levels leading to severe competition, producers had brought the Customer to centre-stage. His demand for "value-for-money" and matchless services etc., is forcing modern organisation to strengthen the marketing set-up. Industry is also getting increasingly complex and sophisticated in an effort to optimise the output / input ratios to maintain competitive advantage. Technological changes are explosive -- machine is threatening to defeat human intelligence. Companies are increasingly inclined to opt for a multi-product, multi-location, in fact, multi-national route to survive, grow and prosper in a global market. Market is becoming big and the world a small place. This will necessitate managers to adapt themselves to changes, which are multi-dimensional in nature. On the whole, a very peculiar and none-too- familiar culture is emerging at workplace. We no longer seem to be sure whether a business-house should depend on its core competencies or pursue an opportunity-based, market-driven, quick-response approach. In this era of rapid globalisation of markets, we are also not sure whether a particular product exists in the market because of a customer or vice-versa. The only certainty is constant accent on more efficient and cost-effective products and services. The need for companies to expand, diversify, grow and become big is clear. Yet they have to 'remain' small and nimble-footed in their day-to-day operations for enhanced customer focus and quicker response to demanding market conditions. For this purpose, more and more organisations are turning towards a flat structure. This gives rise to a unique situation - you have to respect the rules designed for a much larger entity with the objective of, perhaps, an overall good and yet strive to work like a small-league player. The profile of industrial Organisation which was essentially a simple production-oriented workforce is therefore changing dramatically as never before and giving way to knowledge-based managers who are called upon to cope with faster & intelligent machines and complex processes in a rapidly changing multi-dimensional environment where Customer is more than a king.

People who spearhead such organisations are the ones who are knowledgeable, better informed and extremely ambitious. These people also happen to be sensitive, evaluative and subjected to peer / social pressure to perform and to compare their progress with the rest. Not only an executive's work environment is undergoing tremendous change as described hitherto, but also his social milieu now is quite different. Earlier, he had a large set-up (joint family) at home and a small organisation at work (farm). The joint family used to act as an emotional flywheel and the workstation was not as complex. Today, in the age of nuclear family and mega-corporation, he has to adjust to an exactly opposite role-play. He has to work for a large organisation with which he can hardly identify himself, manage people who are not related to him, who are not necessarily junior to him in age and who may not have a life-long association with him. He has to, as a result, exist in a value system, which is far too unfamiliar. Paradoxically, he depends on the organisation for his developmental and emotional needs much more than before since he hardly has any alternate source. The remarkable irony is that with rapid industrialisation, which strives to increase the level of human comfort, it is the level of dissatisfaction that is in fact increasing and consequently, human happiness is decreasing, threatening its very basis. Rapid industrialisation and consumerism are in fact putting pressure on him to perform, compare and conquer.

What then is an average employee looking for in an organisation? An environment where people accept, share, appreciate, regard and even adore him for what he is. A mirror where he could look at himself as he is and feel good without extraordinary tension. An institution where time-tested values are cherished and where he could look for unfoldment of the self. In the changed context where the organisation is huge & expanding and home is small & shrinking he can no longer wish away a healthy fusion between the two to lead an integrated life.

Human Resource Manager (HRM) for the Year 2000 and beyond has to address the above issues carefully and administer acceptable solutions. Continuing interaction between HRM and employee is needed to identify training & development needs and ways & means to provide the same in a constantly changing environment. He may not be a retention strategist but must know how to induce a sense of fulfillment in employees' hearts and minds. He may not be the most efficient exit - barrier but he must have a deeper understanding of the processes that make an employee perform to his potential... happily.

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