Introduction
Globalization of Indian economy is compelling organizations to rethink their future strategies. It’s now widely recognized that transformation is a pre-requisite to their survival and growth. Business organizations in India especially public enterprises are experiencing winds of change. For the HR function, there could not be a more existing and challenging opportunity than managing the complexities of change and transformation. HR today is playing a lead role along with business functions in creating the necessary momentum and internal capabilities.
This project seeks to capture the value of “Synergizing HRD Interventions for Growth� covering the ideas and experiences like Changing Business Scenario and HRD Challenges, Organizational Transformation and Restructuring, Managing Performance and Productivity Enhancement, Managing Diversity, Developing Learning and Training Capabilities and Aligning HRD to Business.
HRD Interventions in Developing Global Competitiveness
Today all are aware that it is the era of globalization and competitiveness. Right now the issue is not only of global competitiveness but local competitiveness. Till now, Indian industries have been so protected that it is not concerned about the emerging competition. These organizations today need to ask themselves where they are and where they need to go. Today’s passwords should be competition for both survival and growth. To meet the new challenges, however, some of the organizations are planning well. As far as organizational planning is concerned Indian organizations are capable of planning well but regarding training and HRD interventions they are not performing too well and don’t even give much importance to it.
Normally everyone in the organization undergoes training. But to meet the emerging challenges and issues, organizations need to upgrade or modify their HRD interventions, or more specifically training interventions. NTPC is one of the few PSUs where attempts are being made to plan training interventions and a serious thought has been given it to make training a systematic method.
Benchmarking HRD Practices
Benchmarking is a method of establishing goals based on industry’s best practices. It’s appositive and proactive process change practices and procedures in a structured fashion to achieve superior performance. Today when there is competition not only within India but the world over, and when one can get all information about product, processes and all management styles in minimum time, there is a need to have better or even international benchmarks. Benchmarking HRD practices may help organizations to develop action plans better manpower planning and developing human resources in amore effective manner to meet the challenges of the new millennium.
In order to make the kind of progress that is need to be competitive, HRD and quality professionals have to work in consonance with each other. It is one of the problems faced by many organizations. Why are things the way they are and what could be done to achieve a positive change?
The 2 approaches to this problem have been followed since the early part of the century. One is the Human Resource approach, which promotes the ideas of freedom to act and freedom for creativity. The other is the Tailor’s approach in terms of scientific management and in terms of standardization of method. In the early 20th century, mass manufacturing came into being. When a large number of people made the same kind of product of service, then a degree of standardization was necessary to obtain. A degree of consistency was needed to provide to the customers. This led to a situation where standardization became everything.
Human Resource approach talked about creativity. The conviction was that standardization kills creativity. If one prevents a person from thinking of a better way, and he is asked to do what he is supposed is inhuman. Unfortunately for several years these were considered to be mutually exclusively perspectives. Each one promoted and propagated their respective points of view and there were no meeting points.
In the early 60s, the situation started changing. And in 1960-62, professor Ichikawa started the use of Quality Circles. What did he really do? He empowered the work force to develop the standards to develop themselves. Earlier the standards were often developed by industrial engineers sitting in the corporate office, and/or a handful of specialists in a company. But if the people who are in the job, whether they are at the operator/manager lever can be trained and empowered to develop their own standards. Ichikawa’s QC is the collective creativity of a group of people doing diverse things who come together to develop their own methods working which is efficient. This is then standardized so that there is consistency till the end. He, thus, brought creativity and consistency through this approach.
It is important to train the manpower to use the data that’s generated at the workplace. The basic steps in this exercise would be to understand the data, to use it analytically, and to find a better method. Automation in this perspective means that the worker or the manager should be able to stop his work process if it’s proving to be inactive. A new standard may be created. If more than more 1 person is involved in this creative exercise, then the improvement may be of a higher magnitude than it would have been only one person developing it on his own. Each individual contributes and the group is able to bring their contributions together.
For effective benchmarking of this kind, the 2 main factors are rich data and facts. Management looks at this data and decides the process as to how to do an analysis. The best known analytical tools are statistical tools. So statistical tools have to be used to involve people to create a better a method than the present one. Without creativity this form of benchmarking is not possible. Peter Drucker only recognized what the Japanese did. Basically it was the idea of Ichikawa who gave HRD this system of benchmarking.
Assessing and Evaluating the Impact of HRD interventions
A learning organization acquires knowledge, creates and transfers new knowledge and learns to perform better. Ultimately and organization has to perform and if the learning of the organization does not get transferred into performance then it is a waste. There are several roles of HRD, but the success of HRD can be judged by the performance of the organization. If it does not perform and if HRD personnel do not contribute to the organization in providing them the right environment and the right people, then the organization’s HRD policy can be considered a failure.
From India, Baruipur
Globalization of Indian economy is compelling organizations to rethink their future strategies. It’s now widely recognized that transformation is a pre-requisite to their survival and growth. Business organizations in India especially public enterprises are experiencing winds of change. For the HR function, there could not be a more existing and challenging opportunity than managing the complexities of change and transformation. HR today is playing a lead role along with business functions in creating the necessary momentum and internal capabilities.
This project seeks to capture the value of “Synergizing HRD Interventions for Growth� covering the ideas and experiences like Changing Business Scenario and HRD Challenges, Organizational Transformation and Restructuring, Managing Performance and Productivity Enhancement, Managing Diversity, Developing Learning and Training Capabilities and Aligning HRD to Business.
HRD Interventions in Developing Global Competitiveness
Today all are aware that it is the era of globalization and competitiveness. Right now the issue is not only of global competitiveness but local competitiveness. Till now, Indian industries have been so protected that it is not concerned about the emerging competition. These organizations today need to ask themselves where they are and where they need to go. Today’s passwords should be competition for both survival and growth. To meet the new challenges, however, some of the organizations are planning well. As far as organizational planning is concerned Indian organizations are capable of planning well but regarding training and HRD interventions they are not performing too well and don’t even give much importance to it.
Normally everyone in the organization undergoes training. But to meet the emerging challenges and issues, organizations need to upgrade or modify their HRD interventions, or more specifically training interventions. NTPC is one of the few PSUs where attempts are being made to plan training interventions and a serious thought has been given it to make training a systematic method.
Benchmarking HRD Practices
Benchmarking is a method of establishing goals based on industry’s best practices. It’s appositive and proactive process change practices and procedures in a structured fashion to achieve superior performance. Today when there is competition not only within India but the world over, and when one can get all information about product, processes and all management styles in minimum time, there is a need to have better or even international benchmarks. Benchmarking HRD practices may help organizations to develop action plans better manpower planning and developing human resources in amore effective manner to meet the challenges of the new millennium.
In order to make the kind of progress that is need to be competitive, HRD and quality professionals have to work in consonance with each other. It is one of the problems faced by many organizations. Why are things the way they are and what could be done to achieve a positive change?
The 2 approaches to this problem have been followed since the early part of the century. One is the Human Resource approach, which promotes the ideas of freedom to act and freedom for creativity. The other is the Tailor’s approach in terms of scientific management and in terms of standardization of method. In the early 20th century, mass manufacturing came into being. When a large number of people made the same kind of product of service, then a degree of standardization was necessary to obtain. A degree of consistency was needed to provide to the customers. This led to a situation where standardization became everything.
Human Resource approach talked about creativity. The conviction was that standardization kills creativity. If one prevents a person from thinking of a better way, and he is asked to do what he is supposed is inhuman. Unfortunately for several years these were considered to be mutually exclusively perspectives. Each one promoted and propagated their respective points of view and there were no meeting points.
In the early 60s, the situation started changing. And in 1960-62, professor Ichikawa started the use of Quality Circles. What did he really do? He empowered the work force to develop the standards to develop themselves. Earlier the standards were often developed by industrial engineers sitting in the corporate office, and/or a handful of specialists in a company. But if the people who are in the job, whether they are at the operator/manager lever can be trained and empowered to develop their own standards. Ichikawa’s QC is the collective creativity of a group of people doing diverse things who come together to develop their own methods working which is efficient. This is then standardized so that there is consistency till the end. He, thus, brought creativity and consistency through this approach.
It is important to train the manpower to use the data that’s generated at the workplace. The basic steps in this exercise would be to understand the data, to use it analytically, and to find a better method. Automation in this perspective means that the worker or the manager should be able to stop his work process if it’s proving to be inactive. A new standard may be created. If more than more 1 person is involved in this creative exercise, then the improvement may be of a higher magnitude than it would have been only one person developing it on his own. Each individual contributes and the group is able to bring their contributions together.
For effective benchmarking of this kind, the 2 main factors are rich data and facts. Management looks at this data and decides the process as to how to do an analysis. The best known analytical tools are statistical tools. So statistical tools have to be used to involve people to create a better a method than the present one. Without creativity this form of benchmarking is not possible. Peter Drucker only recognized what the Japanese did. Basically it was the idea of Ichikawa who gave HRD this system of benchmarking.
Assessing and Evaluating the Impact of HRD interventions
A learning organization acquires knowledge, creates and transfers new knowledge and learns to perform better. Ultimately and organization has to perform and if the learning of the organization does not get transferred into performance then it is a waste. There are several roles of HRD, but the success of HRD can be judged by the performance of the organization. If it does not perform and if HRD personnel do not contribute to the organization in providing them the right environment and the right people, then the organization’s HRD policy can be considered a failure.
From India, Baruipur
Dear Colleagues,
I wish to put in a few words on the above subject matter as it relates to HR Management.
CONFLICT RESOLUTIONS
Basically, it is the duty of the HR to find ways of resolving issues between employees on one hand and employees and Management on the other.
We should note that as long as we have human beings at the work place there would always be need for arbitration amongst them.
HR is even expected to sense tension between these two groups before they deteriorate.
It is at this time that HR should use the "grape vine channel" to its advantage and call officers to a round table for reconcilation and if it is between workers and Management should ways of brokering peace.
DISCIPLINE
On the above HR should as a matter of policy lay its cards on the table from the on-set by issuing out Employee Handbooks to all employees from the beginning. This would help sanitize them to know where there rights starts and ends and what they are like wise the Company's.
Hence when an employee errs what ever decision HR or Management takes would be by the books, and this should be accepted by parties concerned-and not changing the rules in the middle of the game.
DISCRIMINATION
This could be a very sensitive issue depending on ones perception and orientation.
Discrimination at the work place could be on the grounds of gender,race, political/union affliations, religious, pigmentation colour, sexual orientation, even at times intellectual persuasions and school of thoughts.
Again it is the duty of the HR to see to it that all these differences are played down at the workplace and should try as much as possible create an environment of peaceful co-existence amongst all employees.
This could be achieved by deliberately grouping these diverse opinions into working Committees, social outings, club membership, in an effort to make them understand themselves leading to genral tolerance of each other.
HARRASSMENT
This is another issue closely linked to the above, this could be in differrent shades-however the most talked about is sexual harrassement.
Personally the two genders-male and female are guilty of this vice at the work place.
The HR comes in here to see to it that ideal policies are put in place and implemented to douse the flame.
I would like to add another dimension to harrassement-this could be in the form of stereo-typing, name-calling in the workplace.
For instance an employee calls a colleague by an assumed pet name such as "professor"-ideally it sounds positive, but the moment he/she rejects it as a pet name that colleague should drop it otherwise it becomes tauting and this would certainly lead to irritation hence an unfriendly workplace to that employee.
HEALTH
Ideally HR should seek to implement good health policy for the generality of the work force.
Beyond the internal arrangements-good ventilation, illumination, sick-bay, first-aids etal
It is the duty of the HR to have comprehensive Health Insurance Schemes in which employees are registered for both preventive and curative medication.
Lately, it is the duty of the HR to fashion out a very friendly policy on HIV/AIDS to suit the workplace demography to avoid discrimination on this ground.
SAFETY
In as much as it is the function of the HR to propose policies and get them approved and implemented Management has a big role to play when it comes to Safety Issues.
HR has to see to it that an acceptable safety standarded is kept in the workplace-safety gears are provided, fire extinguishers are placed at the right places, multiple entrances and exists are provided, muster-point/s are made known to the workforce and possible fire/safety drills are conducted once in a while.
UNION RELATIONS
This yet another sensitive issue, it should be noted that in as much as Human Beings have the right of Association some employers of labour have deliberately deleted this from their Employee Handbook making workers "apolitical by internal legislation".
However the above is not the general rule in places where Unionization is permitted it is function of HR to mediate between Union and Management whenever the need arises-most times on the grounds of Collective Bargain Approach.
Presently let me just rest my case till some other times.
Cheers.
From Nigeria, Lagos
6I wish to put in a few words on the above subject matter as it relates to HR Management.
CONFLICT RESOLUTIONS
Basically, it is the duty of the HR to find ways of resolving issues between employees on one hand and employees and Management on the other.
We should note that as long as we have human beings at the work place there would always be need for arbitration amongst them.
HR is even expected to sense tension between these two groups before they deteriorate.
It is at this time that HR should use the "grape vine channel" to its advantage and call officers to a round table for reconcilation and if it is between workers and Management should ways of brokering peace.
DISCIPLINE
On the above HR should as a matter of policy lay its cards on the table from the on-set by issuing out Employee Handbooks to all employees from the beginning. This would help sanitize them to know where there rights starts and ends and what they are like wise the Company's.
Hence when an employee errs what ever decision HR or Management takes would be by the books, and this should be accepted by parties concerned-and not changing the rules in the middle of the game.
DISCRIMINATION
This could be a very sensitive issue depending on ones perception and orientation.
Discrimination at the work place could be on the grounds of gender,race, political/union affliations, religious, pigmentation colour, sexual orientation, even at times intellectual persuasions and school of thoughts.
Again it is the duty of the HR to see to it that all these differences are played down at the workplace and should try as much as possible create an environment of peaceful co-existence amongst all employees.
This could be achieved by deliberately grouping these diverse opinions into working Committees, social outings, club membership, in an effort to make them understand themselves leading to genral tolerance of each other.
HARRASSMENT
This is another issue closely linked to the above, this could be in differrent shades-however the most talked about is sexual harrassement.
Personally the two genders-male and female are guilty of this vice at the work place.
The HR comes in here to see to it that ideal policies are put in place and implemented to douse the flame.
I would like to add another dimension to harrassement-this could be in the form of stereo-typing, name-calling in the workplace.
For instance an employee calls a colleague by an assumed pet name such as "professor"-ideally it sounds positive, but the moment he/she rejects it as a pet name that colleague should drop it otherwise it becomes tauting and this would certainly lead to irritation hence an unfriendly workplace to that employee.
HEALTH
Ideally HR should seek to implement good health policy for the generality of the work force.
Beyond the internal arrangements-good ventilation, illumination, sick-bay, first-aids etal
It is the duty of the HR to have comprehensive Health Insurance Schemes in which employees are registered for both preventive and curative medication.
Lately, it is the duty of the HR to fashion out a very friendly policy on HIV/AIDS to suit the workplace demography to avoid discrimination on this ground.
SAFETY
In as much as it is the function of the HR to propose policies and get them approved and implemented Management has a big role to play when it comes to Safety Issues.
HR has to see to it that an acceptable safety standarded is kept in the workplace-safety gears are provided, fire extinguishers are placed at the right places, multiple entrances and exists are provided, muster-point/s are made known to the workforce and possible fire/safety drills are conducted once in a while.
UNION RELATIONS
This yet another sensitive issue, it should be noted that in as much as Human Beings have the right of Association some employers of labour have deliberately deleted this from their Employee Handbook making workers "apolitical by internal legislation".
However the above is not the general rule in places where Unionization is permitted it is function of HR to mediate between Union and Management whenever the need arises-most times on the grounds of Collective Bargain Approach.
Presently let me just rest my case till some other times.
Cheers.
From Nigeria, Lagos
The field of HR management is undergoing transition because organizations themselves are changing. As a result, the terminology in the field is in transition. Traditionally called personnel departments, many of these entities have been renamed human resource departments. But more than the name has changed as HR management continues to be the “people” focus in organizations.
From India, Pune
From India, Pune
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