Dave Ulrich outlines old myths and new realities of HR as following:
I- Old Myths:
1. People go into HR because they like people.
2. Anyone can do HR.
3. HR deals with the soft side of a business and is therefore not
accountable.
4. HR focuses on costs, which must be controlled.
5. HR's job is to be policy police and the health-and-happiness
patrol.
6. HR is full of fads.
7. HR is staffed by nice people.
8. HR is HR's job.
II- New Realities:
1. HR departments are not designed to provide corporate therapy or
as social or health-and-happiness retreats. HR professionals must
create the practices that make employees more competitive, not more
comfortable.
2. HR activities are based on theory and research. HR professionals
must master both theory and practice.
3. The impact of HR practices on business results can and must be
measured. HR professionals must learn how to translate their work
into financial performance.
4. HR practices must create value by increasing the intellectual
capital within the firm. HR professionals must add value, not reduce
costs.
5. The HR function does not own compliance-managers do. HR practices
do not exist to make employees happy but to help them become
committed. HR professionals must help managers commit employees and
administer policies.
6. HR practices have evolved over time. HR professionals must see
their current work as part of an evolutionary chain and explain
their work with less jargon and more authority.
7. At times, HR practices should force vigorous debates. HR
professionals should be confrontative and challenging as well as
supportive.
8. HR work is as important to line managers as are finance,
strategy, and other business domains. HR professionals should join
with managers in championing HR issues.
Finally, he writes that "the HR function traditionally has spent
more time professing than being professional. The HR function has
been plauged by myths that keep it from being professional.
Regardless of whether these myths originate with HR people or with
line managers, it is time they were overcome. It is time to talk
less and do more; time to add value, not write value statements;
time to build competitive, not comfortable, organizations; time to
be proactive, not reactive. It is time to perform, not preach."
From India, Vadodara
5I- Old Myths:
1. People go into HR because they like people.
2. Anyone can do HR.
3. HR deals with the soft side of a business and is therefore not
accountable.
4. HR focuses on costs, which must be controlled.
5. HR's job is to be policy police and the health-and-happiness
patrol.
6. HR is full of fads.
7. HR is staffed by nice people.
8. HR is HR's job.
II- New Realities:
1. HR departments are not designed to provide corporate therapy or
as social or health-and-happiness retreats. HR professionals must
create the practices that make employees more competitive, not more
comfortable.
2. HR activities are based on theory and research. HR professionals
must master both theory and practice.
3. The impact of HR practices on business results can and must be
measured. HR professionals must learn how to translate their work
into financial performance.
4. HR practices must create value by increasing the intellectual
capital within the firm. HR professionals must add value, not reduce
costs.
5. The HR function does not own compliance-managers do. HR practices
do not exist to make employees happy but to help them become
committed. HR professionals must help managers commit employees and
administer policies.
6. HR practices have evolved over time. HR professionals must see
their current work as part of an evolutionary chain and explain
their work with less jargon and more authority.
7. At times, HR practices should force vigorous debates. HR
professionals should be confrontative and challenging as well as
supportive.
8. HR work is as important to line managers as are finance,
strategy, and other business domains. HR professionals should join
with managers in championing HR issues.
Finally, he writes that "the HR function traditionally has spent
more time professing than being professional. The HR function has
been plauged by myths that keep it from being professional.
Regardless of whether these myths originate with HR people or with
line managers, it is time they were overcome. It is time to talk
less and do more; time to add value, not write value statements;
time to build competitive, not comfortable, organizations; time to
be proactive, not reactive. It is time to perform, not preach."
From India, Vadodara
Hi Sreenivasan
Thats great that you have come forward to break the myths... This would make the HR people think in right direction... Most of the times we have an attitude of appointing people we think [have been tought] would perform better.. We don't come out of this mind set to try something unconventional and find out the reality in the changing times..
“I believe that we must try to [shed the teachings] which bind us to old myths and blinds us to new realities and, worse still, lead us to regard new and unfamiliar ideas with fear and mistrust….” Rather “We must dare to think ‘unthinkable thoughts.’ We must learn to explore all of the options and possibilities that confront us in a complex and rapidly changing world. If we are to disabuse ourselves of old myths, and to act wisely and creatively upon the new realities of our time.
From India, Ahmadabad
Thats great that you have come forward to break the myths... This would make the HR people think in right direction... Most of the times we have an attitude of appointing people we think [have been tought] would perform better.. We don't come out of this mind set to try something unconventional and find out the reality in the changing times..
“I believe that we must try to [shed the teachings] which bind us to old myths and blinds us to new realities and, worse still, lead us to regard new and unfamiliar ideas with fear and mistrust….” Rather “We must dare to think ‘unthinkable thoughts.’ We must learn to explore all of the options and possibilities that confront us in a complex and rapidly changing world. If we are to disabuse ourselves of old myths, and to act wisely and creatively upon the new realities of our time.
From India, Ahmadabad
hi ajmal,
ya that was a good article by HR guru dave ulrich.. actually ther is one more myth which is said by my friends also.. that is Hr is most suitable for women.. i am not talking against the women.. but it is changing from recording handling deparment ---> some thin goody goody people of service department ---------> some thing which is more innovative, main wedge to organisation and manin change agent fellows... so now HR is becoming so dynamic... it is not just for women.. it will be a great swamin ground for the men also..
when ever my frds comment i tell them life changinig and even HR....
what do you think about this ajmal
From India, Vadodara
ya that was a good article by HR guru dave ulrich.. actually ther is one more myth which is said by my friends also.. that is Hr is most suitable for women.. i am not talking against the women.. but it is changing from recording handling deparment ---> some thin goody goody people of service department ---------> some thing which is more innovative, main wedge to organisation and manin change agent fellows... so now HR is becoming so dynamic... it is not just for women.. it will be a great swamin ground for the men also..
when ever my frds comment i tell them life changinig and even HR....
what do you think about this ajmal
From India, Vadodara
ya...really nice article
i did believe that one major skill needed for HRM was to be able to mingle with ppl
and about women being good at HR...well that comes natural to us :wink:
ok..on a serious note....i read this article in business india (latest may23 - jun 5th) it said women are good in HRM ....there was some research done and stats are given
also...the article said that women have soft technical skills and very few require sensititvity training
not the same case with men
men do good in HRM too...agreeed....but in the IR issues...very few women are good wen it comes to dealing with the unions
waiting for ur coment
From India, Mumbai
i did believe that one major skill needed for HRM was to be able to mingle with ppl
and about women being good at HR...well that comes natural to us :wink:
ok..on a serious note....i read this article in business india (latest may23 - jun 5th) it said women are good in HRM ....there was some research done and stats are given
also...the article said that women have soft technical skills and very few require sensititvity training
not the same case with men
men do good in HRM too...agreeed....but in the IR issues...very few women are good wen it comes to dealing with the unions
waiting for ur coment
From India, Mumbai
Hi Sunayna
I disagree with you and with Business India as well... As you are already doing MBA, you should very well know how the sample size and survey techniques make a major difference in the results...
Men and Women both have equal ability to handle the HR issues while men [atleast in India] have an upper hand over women in handling of IR issues as mostly the Union Heads are under educated and rough kind of people..
But that does not mean that men are anyway lacking behind women in the area of HR.... To take example....
see the following data... They are the best companies to work for in India
Try to find out the HR heads of this companies, and I assure you that in 80% of the cases you will find a male heading the HR function... That proves that Males have the capacity to bring their HR departments / Policies and actual Functioning to the level where the employees not only like to work but enjoy working
I am not trying to undermine the ability of Women, but at the same time to make differentiation on the basis of Gender is not correct..
Rank Companies
1 Texas Instruments
2 Federal Express India
3 Johnson & Johnson
4 Eli Lilly
5 Philips Software Centre
6 Godrej Consumer Products
7 Wipro-Spectramind
8 Nokia
9 Birla Sun Life Insurance
10 Cadbury India
11 Aviva Life Insurance
12 Tata Teleservices
13 NIIT
14 Ernst & Young SSL
15 Marico
16 AV Birla Group
17 BPCL
18 Hughes Software System
19 Infosys Technologies
20 Max New York Life Insurance
21 Dr. Reddy's Laboratories
22 Wipro
23 Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Paper
24 Anand Group
25 Jisco
[the list is of 2003, I will put up 2004 list as and when i am able to get it]
From India, Ahmadabad
I disagree with you and with Business India as well... As you are already doing MBA, you should very well know how the sample size and survey techniques make a major difference in the results...
Men and Women both have equal ability to handle the HR issues while men [atleast in India] have an upper hand over women in handling of IR issues as mostly the Union Heads are under educated and rough kind of people..
But that does not mean that men are anyway lacking behind women in the area of HR.... To take example....
see the following data... They are the best companies to work for in India
Try to find out the HR heads of this companies, and I assure you that in 80% of the cases you will find a male heading the HR function... That proves that Males have the capacity to bring their HR departments / Policies and actual Functioning to the level where the employees not only like to work but enjoy working
I am not trying to undermine the ability of Women, but at the same time to make differentiation on the basis of Gender is not correct..
Rank Companies
1 Texas Instruments
2 Federal Express India
3 Johnson & Johnson
4 Eli Lilly
5 Philips Software Centre
6 Godrej Consumer Products
7 Wipro-Spectramind
8 Nokia
9 Birla Sun Life Insurance
10 Cadbury India
11 Aviva Life Insurance
12 Tata Teleservices
13 NIIT
14 Ernst & Young SSL
15 Marico
16 AV Birla Group
17 BPCL
18 Hughes Software System
19 Infosys Technologies
20 Max New York Life Insurance
21 Dr. Reddy's Laboratories
22 Wipro
23 Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Paper
24 Anand Group
25 Jisco
[the list is of 2003, I will put up 2004 list as and when i am able to get it]
From India, Ahmadabad
hi,
ya i go with ajmal in this issue... as i have said in my earlier post that sine the increase in service industry made a some initial point it need more soft oriented person to handle the educated emlployees.. so that time may be women were more suited.. but as the ay goes men have become more comepetent handle also in the soft culture too..
ya IR is more hard one to handle...
* this post is to make my earlier point more clear nd not just to increase my points....
ok see u
byee
From India, Vadodara
ya i go with ajmal in this issue... as i have said in my earlier post that sine the increase in service industry made a some initial point it need more soft oriented person to handle the educated emlployees.. so that time may be women were more suited.. but as the ay goes men have become more comepetent handle also in the soft culture too..
ya IR is more hard one to handle...
* this post is to make my earlier point more clear nd not just to increase my points....
ok see u
byee
From India, Vadodara
well....pfft
i m not doin MBa yet...but i knnow wt ur talkin abt
hmm...maybe ur right
i l tell u a proper answer after 10 yrs wen i strt workin and hav experience
but till now...from wt ive heard form others....women do good in HR...not tht men dont..but it comes easily to women
and ther is this sensitivity program....i ve heard men go for tht training more thn women
From India, Mumbai
i m not doin MBa yet...but i knnow wt ur talkin abt
hmm...maybe ur right
i l tell u a proper answer after 10 yrs wen i strt workin and hav experience
but till now...from wt ive heard form others....women do good in HR...not tht men dont..but it comes easily to women
and ther is this sensitivity program....i ve heard men go for tht training more thn women
From India, Mumbai
Hi Sunayna
Same we can say for the cooking, it comes naturally to the women, while the men need to take Hotel Management / catering training for the same....
But then, worlds best chefs are males...
Further as the Topic Suggests
Old myths v/s new realities...
Maybe i am holding on to the myth [males are best chefs] or else i am holding to realities [it is a proven fact.]
From India, Ahmadabad
Same we can say for the cooking, it comes naturally to the women, while the men need to take Hotel Management / catering training for the same....
But then, worlds best chefs are males...
Further as the Topic Suggests
Old myths v/s new realities...
Maybe i am holding on to the myth [males are best chefs] or else i am holding to realities [it is a proven fact.]
From India, Ahmadabad
hi to all...
I am an MBA student and I have completed my internship project on Dave ulrich's 4 HR functional role's model and I checked its application in a hospitaliy based company and even a renowned one now I have to give my analysis and conclusions can any one suggest me on this...that what all should I include and what all not...
From India, Udaipur
I am an MBA student and I have completed my internship project on Dave ulrich's 4 HR functional role's model and I checked its application in a hospitaliy based company and even a renowned one now I have to give my analysis and conclusions can any one suggest me on this...that what all should I include and what all not...
From India, Udaipur
Community Support and Knowledge-base on business, career and organisational prospects and issues - Register and Log In to CiteHR and post your query, download formats and be part of a fostered community of professionals.