Human Resource Management: Developing People into Assets
She could have followed in her father's footsteps and become a publisher. Instead, she chose to become 
an HR professional. Shingari Ramachandran completed her BE in electronics from Nagpur University in 2001. She then came back to Delhi, devoted a year for CAT preparation, and did her MBA with a specialisation in HR from the International Management Institute, New Delhi in 2004. Ramachandran then joined Apollo Tyres Ltd in 2006 as an associate manager HR and has risen to the rank of group manager.
"I chose human resource management because I like working with people," says Ramachandran. Corporate training and development is her major responsibility. "We are currently running a senior management leadership programme, which has participants coming in from different parts of India as well as from South Africa and Europe," says Ramachandran, who is enjoying the challenge - courtesy Apollo's global footprint - of ensuring that people from various cultures form a cohesive group and learn from each other. "Lots of preparation go into getting participants ready for such programmes," she says.
"Human resource management is all about managing people in an organisation," says Archana Shukla, dean - Noida Campus and professor - Organisation Behaviour, Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow. And what does the expression ‘managing people' mean? "Managing people involves dealing with employees right from the time they join an organisation till they leave it," says Shukla. According to Avadesh Dixit, head - HR, CMC Ltd, "Human resource management is all about maximising people's capabilities to enhance individual growth and create sustainable competitive edge (of the organisation) through people practices."
Business of any size needs talented people in order to ensure sustainable business growth and prosperity, says Anil Gaur, general manager-HR, Maruti Suzuki India, adding, "As an important asset for any business, its people need to be properly managed in order to achieve optimal efficacy." Hence, the importance of HR professionals. The key areas of the HR function include manpower planning, talent nurturing and development, talent management and retention, performance management, compensation and benefits, and employee engagement, among others.
Over the years, ‘human resource' as a function has evolved in India. Earlier, HR management was looked at as more of an administrative function, at best. But today it plays the role of an enabler - helping the company create and sustain a high-performance work culture.
With business going global there is need for more and more HR professionals today.
"Short supply of talent is a phenomenon across industries and specialisations, and HR is no exception," says Gaur. Agrees Dixit. "As the economy grows, there is a definite need to churn out more skilled HR professionals, who are going to help companies face the challenges of attracting and retaining talent," he says.
Gaur thinks that "our inability to forecast demand and channelise resources to create a ready-to-employ pool of professionals," are the reasons behind the gap. According to Shukla, there aren't enough dedicated institutions imparting specialised HR coaching. Whatever the reason, one thing is clear: HR as a profession has more scope today than ever before.
Author: Pranab Ghosh (HT Horizons)
Date: 28th December, 2010
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