Hello,
Can you please share your views on the below mentioned scenario?
I am working in a small software development company as a HR Generalist for last 1 year 6 months. Its employee size is 18. I mainly look after recruitment, induction, issuing of various letters, appraisal, leave and attendance management, hr policy modification, exit formalities. I report to the Director of the company. I don’t look after the payroll and compliance part. I have total 3.5 years of experience in HR functions. Earlier I used to work in a Background Verification company. It was also a quality experience that I have gathered.
A few days back I faced an interview with a bigger company with around 300 employees. According to me it was a good interview because I answered their questions in a positive and firmly manner but they didn’t shortlist me.
After that I came to know that as I am handling lesser employees and the overall experience I have it is some kind of HR admin experience, not HR generalist (According to the interviewer.
Regards,
Jia
From India, Kolkata
5Can you please share your views on the below mentioned scenario?
I am working in a small software development company as a HR Generalist for last 1 year 6 months. Its employee size is 18. I mainly look after recruitment, induction, issuing of various letters, appraisal, leave and attendance management, hr policy modification, exit formalities. I report to the Director of the company. I don’t look after the payroll and compliance part. I have total 3.5 years of experience in HR functions. Earlier I used to work in a Background Verification company. It was also a quality experience that I have gathered.
A few days back I faced an interview with a bigger company with around 300 employees. According to me it was a good interview because I answered their questions in a positive and firmly manner but they didn’t shortlist me.
After that I came to know that as I am handling lesser employees and the overall experience I have it is some kind of HR admin experience, not HR generalist (According to the interviewer.
Regards,
Jia
From India, Kolkata
Jia
Yes employee size matters,
Facing & handling 18 employees is always easy than handling 1000 employees. It is really tough task when you try to negotiate with union of 1000 employees on certain issue or dispute.
As far as interviewer remark about you that you are not generalist is quite natural because you have not handled payroll and compliance part.
HR generalist should be able to work in all functions of HR dept from recruitment till exit formalities.
Learn payroll processing, compensation management, compliance matter, it will boost your career.
Arun J.
From India, Hyderabad
Yes employee size matters,
Facing & handling 18 employees is always easy than handling 1000 employees. It is really tough task when you try to negotiate with union of 1000 employees on certain issue or dispute.
As far as interviewer remark about you that you are not generalist is quite natural because you have not handled payroll and compliance part.
HR generalist should be able to work in all functions of HR dept from recruitment till exit formalities.
Learn payroll processing, compensation management, compliance matter, it will boost your career.
Arun J.
From India, Hyderabad
Dear Arun Sir,
Thank you for your reply.
I agree with you Sir, but I have a different perspective. Pls don’t consider this as an argument, it’s a normal discussion.
If someone knows the basic formula to solve a problem he can solve simpler problems as well as harder problems. I know HR is not a rocket science and doesn't go with any formula. Still if someone has the solid knowledge on the subject, and is able to handle lesser employees; he /she can handle more employees too. Isn't it?
Regards,
Jia
From India, Kolkata
Thank you for your reply.
I agree with you Sir, but I have a different perspective. Pls don’t consider this as an argument, it’s a normal discussion.
If someone knows the basic formula to solve a problem he can solve simpler problems as well as harder problems. I know HR is not a rocket science and doesn't go with any formula. Still if someone has the solid knowledge on the subject, and is able to handle lesser employees; he /she can handle more employees too. Isn't it?
Regards,
Jia
From India, Kolkata
Jia,
Your confidence is quite appreciable..............& NO doubt a knowledgeable person can solve the issue & handle strength
but it is not only handling huge strength What I am saying is more strength force company to apply some acts and when any act is applicable to any company then actual headache start of HR
Let me tell from my point of view.............
1) When 100 and more workers will be their then while doing retrenchment you need to follow all procedures it involves taking permission from labour commissioner etc.
2) When 200 and more workers are their then canteen facility will be applicable you have to form canteen committee you need to ensure quality of food served in the canteen are tested by food inspector etc.
3) When 500 & more workers are their then appointing a welfare officer is compulsory, Welfare activity will have follow strictly safety etc.
4) When strength is small their are less chances of negative attitude/Less chances of using coercive method
5) You can go for daily & face to face counseling in small strength company which is not possible in big organization
6) You have to face problems of Lockout, Strike, Layoff etc. which are very rare chances in small strength organizations.
These points seems nothing but they are disputable points you need to be very knowledgeable & strong enough to handle issues raised from such points
Arun J.
From India, Hyderabad
Your confidence is quite appreciable..............& NO doubt a knowledgeable person can solve the issue & handle strength
but it is not only handling huge strength What I am saying is more strength force company to apply some acts and when any act is applicable to any company then actual headache start of HR
Let me tell from my point of view.............
1) When 100 and more workers will be their then while doing retrenchment you need to follow all procedures it involves taking permission from labour commissioner etc.
2) When 200 and more workers are their then canteen facility will be applicable you have to form canteen committee you need to ensure quality of food served in the canteen are tested by food inspector etc.
3) When 500 & more workers are their then appointing a welfare officer is compulsory, Welfare activity will have follow strictly safety etc.
4) When strength is small their are less chances of negative attitude/Less chances of using coercive method
5) You can go for daily & face to face counseling in small strength company which is not possible in big organization
6) You have to face problems of Lockout, Strike, Layoff etc. which are very rare chances in small strength organizations.
These points seems nothing but they are disputable points you need to be very knowledgeable & strong enough to handle issues raised from such points
Arun J.
From India, Hyderabad
Jia,
one more thing...............
take an example
suppose their is One BE mechanical engineer who has just completed his engineering with 90% and has all theoretical knowledge he knows (read) how to assemble & disassemble machine.
But actually when he gets job in any company as maintenance engineer then he come to know how difficult it is.
So what I need to say is "Hands on Experience" is very much important
It goes easy to HR personnel who has Hands on experience, the HR who has actually faced Strike,Lockout,Layoff, Retrenchment, can easily handle the situation because he has hands on experience.
How to deal with Factory inspector on his visit to the factory? How to deal with Labour commissioner in case of dispute? How to deal with Union in court matters? etc
So only knowledge is not sufficient you must have hands on experience........
Arun J.
From India, Hyderabad
one more thing...............
take an example
suppose their is One BE mechanical engineer who has just completed his engineering with 90% and has all theoretical knowledge he knows (read) how to assemble & disassemble machine.
But actually when he gets job in any company as maintenance engineer then he come to know how difficult it is.
So what I need to say is "Hands on Experience" is very much important
It goes easy to HR personnel who has Hands on experience, the HR who has actually faced Strike,Lockout,Layoff, Retrenchment, can easily handle the situation because he has hands on experience.
How to deal with Factory inspector on his visit to the factory? How to deal with Labour commissioner in case of dispute? How to deal with Union in court matters? etc
So only knowledge is not sufficient you must have hands on experience........
Arun J.
From India, Hyderabad
Hi Jia,
You are a progressing HR Professional and if you have solid basics, the size of the company is just a matter of scale.
Whatever you have tried, tested and accomplished with 18 member company may work with 100+ or 300+ company. However nature of business, culture, leadership, kind of workforce and pace of growth matters.
It is big plus that you have got exposure to everything except payroll & compliance. Even in bigger firms with more than one HR Generalist, we can find the Payroll & Statutory Compliance, outsourced. Apart from this, working as per instructions of Director is another plus ( you would have missed this if joined a 1000+ company in the beginning of your career) as there is a huge demand for people professionals for small and medium enterprises, particularly in knowledge industry.
So be cool, and continue your professional journey. Be an avid reader, excellent listener and a passionate people professional.
If you are fine with current firm and there are opportunities for learning, experimenting and you are comfortable with compensation part, just stay on for some more time...wishing you the very best
From India, Bangalore
You are a progressing HR Professional and if you have solid basics, the size of the company is just a matter of scale.
Whatever you have tried, tested and accomplished with 18 member company may work with 100+ or 300+ company. However nature of business, culture, leadership, kind of workforce and pace of growth matters.
It is big plus that you have got exposure to everything except payroll & compliance. Even in bigger firms with more than one HR Generalist, we can find the Payroll & Statutory Compliance, outsourced. Apart from this, working as per instructions of Director is another plus ( you would have missed this if joined a 1000+ company in the beginning of your career) as there is a huge demand for people professionals for small and medium enterprises, particularly in knowledge industry.
So be cool, and continue your professional journey. Be an avid reader, excellent listener and a passionate people professional.
If you are fine with current firm and there are opportunities for learning, experimenting and you are comfortable with compensation part, just stay on for some more time...wishing you the very best
From India, Bangalore
Definitely company size do matter.. Think the other way round.
If you were in a big MNC and managing 400-500 employees as a HR, but now you are in a small startup company where you just need to manage 10-15 employees.
You would have been using tools and softwares as a HR in the MNC but you would not have got those tools in the small company. Moreover the analogy towards employees also change. Small companies are more focussed on retaining their employees where some big companies really do not care.
Rather than trying to be HR in a big company try some small companies. These days there are many HR vacancies available.
From India, New Delhi
If you were in a big MNC and managing 400-500 employees as a HR, but now you are in a small startup company where you just need to manage 10-15 employees.
You would have been using tools and softwares as a HR in the MNC but you would not have got those tools in the small company. Moreover the analogy towards employees also change. Small companies are more focussed on retaining their employees where some big companies really do not care.
Rather than trying to be HR in a big company try some small companies. These days there are many HR vacancies available.
From India, New Delhi
Yes. Employee size in a company matters. Since you have experience in managing less than 20 employees, try to focus on jobs in a company where employee size is 50-100. With best wshes R K Nair
From India, Aizawl
From India, Aizawl
@Akshat113,
Can you plz tell me that why should I try only in small companies? Is there any law or something there that larger companies hire from larger companies only? I can give you n no. of examples who are currently associated with MNCs (HR profiles) and earlier were working in small firms. I am a very optimistic person and I know I will be hired by a top corporate bcoz I have that capability. FYI, may be my current company's employee size is 18, but we are using tools and softwares like some other HRs of bigger org. Anyways try to posses positive attitude.
@Rkn61,
Thank you for your suggestion.
Regards,
Jia
From India, Kolkata
Can you plz tell me that why should I try only in small companies? Is there any law or something there that larger companies hire from larger companies only? I can give you n no. of examples who are currently associated with MNCs (HR profiles) and earlier were working in small firms. I am a very optimistic person and I know I will be hired by a top corporate bcoz I have that capability. FYI, may be my current company's employee size is 18, but we are using tools and softwares like some other HRs of bigger org. Anyways try to posses positive attitude.
@Rkn61,
Thank you for your suggestion.
Regards,
Jia
From India, Kolkata
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