Thursday, March 15, 2007

Transformational HR

Transformational HRM: A Brief Outline

  1. HR has come of age, as reflected in the appointment of HR people at the Board level in several important companies. The fact that organizations have started creating posts like the Chief People’s Officer is an indication of the rising importance of HR. In a move reminiscent to Infosys former CFO Mohandas Pai moving to head its HR function, S Nagarajan, the chief operating officer and co-founder of Bangalore-based 24/7 Customer is shifting to a newly created post of Chief People Officer. According to Nagarajan, ITES being people-enabled, the employees are his most important
  2. While HR is being recognized as a strategic advantage, there are concerns about the image of HR amongst the employees. Business Manager, a monthly magazine has reported in its November, 2006 number results of a survey of 2145 employees from various managerial levels regarding the image of HR. The results show that 53% employees dislike HR and 47% have negative image. The results are given according to the various industries also. It is a matter of concern.
  3. HR is facing new challenges because on the one hand several HR practices are being outsourced, and on the other hand, all line mangers are being (and should be) oriented to HR, so that they take over most of the HR work. The question then is what should HR do?
  4. Originally we (Dr. TV Rao and myself) had designed HR for L&T and SBI in the mid 70’s with three main emphases: (a) HR should deal with all the units of the organization (from person to total organization), (b) It should be value-based, (c) it should be located at the highest level in the organsiation. Fortunately the leaders of the two organizations, Shri N M Desai and Shri R K Talwar accepted and implemented these recommendations. The main spirit of HR was that it should touch the core of people (it should remain human).
  5. HRM is at the fork of the road—either to continue as a peripheral service function, or to become a strategic business partner and organizational process consultant-facilitator.
  6. To play the latter role, HRM needs to do the following:
    • Reposition HRM functions to make them more human
    • Develop HR systems
    • Help in decision about insourcing, outsourcing and open sourcing of HR functions
    • Facilitate implementation of the HR Systems
    • Provide internal organizational process consultancy
    • Manage transformational HRM
  7. It is time that we make a distinction between two aspects of HRM: transactional and transformational. By emphasizing transformational aspects, we shall be able to make HR the competitive advantage and as a business partner. Lot of transactional aspects of HR can either be outsourced or can be managed with involvement of line managers.
  8. The transactional functions of HR will include the following: In all these functions human aspects must be emphasized.

· Recruitment: Based on futuristic competency mapping

· Induction: Communicating personal concern and pride

· Performance management: Separating Performance planning from rewards

· Development system: Expanding development modes

· Career development: De-linking promotions from competency decision.

· Separation system: Communicating organizational value for individuals

  1. The transformational functions of HR will include the following: HR people must pursue these.
    • Talent management: Searching, nurturing, mentoring

Finding, developing and keeping talent are among the top concerns for human resource (HR) executives for 2007, according to the ORC Worldwide HR Priorities Survey, which annually polls a group of global HR executives from a cross-section of industries.

Every six out of 10 respondents (61.7 percent) said the most pressing strategic HR issues companies will face in 2007 fall into the realm of "talent management”

Among the most important issues ranked were leadership development and succession planning, HR technology, workforce planning, executive compensation and diversity, respectively.

    • Climate of trust, equity and involvement
    • Change management, including mergers and acquisitions
    • Leadership
    • Ethics and social responsibility
    • Reward system

10. The following preparations are necessary for HR to play strategic role and to become a competitive advantage.

    • Thorough knowledge of the business and its various aspects
    • Thorough knowledge of, and expertise in, applied behavioural science
    • Consulting and research competencies

The various institutes of management preparing young HR professionals must make sure that the students get thoroughly oriented to play their role in this respects.

11. Work organizations must place HR at very high level, including their Boards, and make demands on HR as the strategic function.

23 comments:

Gautam Ghosh said...

welcome to the blogosphere sir ! It's an honor to be the first one to leave a comment on your blog.

I don't know if you remember, but I attended an MDP conducted by Dr. ES Srinivas and you in Hyderabad almost 7 years ago.

On the topic of transformational HRM, I feel the emphasis of HR has passed more from human to resources as HR has focussed more and more on being a business partner.

You post suggests some excellent ways to go about it, and I hope it is read and helps HR people to be real 'developmental change agents' in their organizations !

Dheeraj Goyal said...

Respected Sir

I am indeed indebted to Gautam Ghosh for acting as a channel for me to connect to your blog..

I'm an SCMHRD '07 passout,all set to explore the corporate world through the eyes of an HR professional.

As with Gautam, I sincerely hope to learn as much I can from this 'The Bible Blog of Indian HR Professionals & Students' for years to come..

Welcome Aboard sir..

Regards and Best Wishes
Dheeraj

madhukar said...

Dear Udai

it was a very pleasant surprise to find you on the blogosphere... welcome!

we all all look to your continuing blogging and sharing

rgds
madhukar

Unknown said...

Dear Dr Uday

Its going to be great having you in the blogspace. Looking forward for your thoughts and inspiration.

Biju Varkkey

Donald H Taylor said...

Dear Dr Uday

I have only recently discovered your writing, and was delighted to be pointed to your blog by Gautam Ghosh.

I look forward to continued reading and learning.

Best wishes

Don

Engr. RAMAN PAREEK said...

Eklavya
Sir, I am a student, who never attended your class but your teachings have ever inspired me from a distance like an Eklavya. You are my dronaacharya. Very happy to see your blog. An inspiration and a great insight in to HRM.
Sir, Please blog more often for our benefit and that of the whole world.
Best regards,
Radharaman Pareek, B.E., DMS.

Bala said...

Dear Mr.Udai Pareek,

I am entrepreneur.We are looking at developing futuristic HR Assessment product.

I wish to contact you. Pls send me your current contact to bala.gyan(AT)gmail.com.

Looking forward to your response.

Regards

Bala Rajagopal

GAA said...

Dear Dr. Udai Pareek,
I am interested to use your TEAM (Team Effectiveness) and MAO-C (Organizational Climate) Survey Questionnaires for my dissertation. May I ask for your permission to use these instruments? Can I also seek your advice on my current research work? How can I contact you directly? You can reach me thru my email ad - gerard_alminaza@yahoo.com

Thank you very much in advance!

Sincerely yours,
Fr. Gerry A. Alminaza
Diocese of Bacolod
Philippines

Smarak said...

Sir
Your post on transformational HRM was very useful, especially for students like me who didn't have the opportunity to listen to your lectures

Smarak

WorkLife Balance said...

Respected Sir,

By qualification, I'm a Mechanical Engineer and recently opted to work in HR. Our organization is encouraging engineers to work in HR. Your valuable advice for engineers who are in HR field.

Thanks and Regards

Parag Badiani

babibhai said...

respected Udai sir what you have said is apt-as a trainer I often make use of SPIRO to influence the group in favour oftransformational HRM-so happy to be reading your thoughts thru the blog-arounf 6 years ago I used to contact you to exchange some thoghts on underdeveloped ego states and I remember fondly your guidance,clarifications and elaborations-may God bless you

Aparna said...

Dear Dr.Udai Pareek,

I am interested to use your MAO-C (organisational Climate)and MAO-B (Organisational Behaviour) survey questionnaires for my dissertation in not for profit organisations.

May I ask for your permission to use these instruments? Can I also seek your advice on my current research work? How can I contact you directly? You can reach me thru my email id - appu72@gmail.com

Thank you very much in advance!

Regards,
Aparna
Bangalore
India

kailashsa said...

sir,

I am starting with an HR magazine. i want to start the magazine with an interview from HR pioneer like you. please can i have an article or am Interview for my magazine.

waitng for your reply sir

udaykailashsa@gmail.com

Pichamon said...

Dear Dr.Pareek,

I am working on my research about the impact of leadership style in Knowledge Management in Thailand and I read the research conducted by Mr.Sanjay Kumar Singh which refers to your Organizational Leadership Questionnaire. I am interested in your questionnaire. Would you mind sharing it?

That will be much aprreciated.
Thank you
Pichamon Adulavidhaya

Unknown said...

Dear Dr. Udai Pareek,
Can I seek your advice on my current research work? How can I contact you directly? You can reach me thru my email ad - jai_siddu@rediffmail.com
Thank you very much in advance!

P.Jayasheela

kailashsa said...

sir,

i am uday kalash. i am starting HR magazine. it will be a great experience if u can be my mentor and guide me. please reply me at udaykailashsa@gmail.com

Ecstasy said...

Dear Sir,
I am in my final semester MBA. I need to do a dissertation in HR. I'm planning to do on latest issues in the field, especially relating to health care or pharmaceutical industry. I need your valuable suggestions to decide a topic. please let me know the latest issues which i can take up for my dissertation.
I was Dr. B.C Patil's Student during my undergraduation. Have heard from him and now read a lot about you sir. I feel honoured to be able to contact you through your blog.
my e-mail id: navyashree.sn@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Dear sir,
'm doing my project in ISRO, Ahmedabad.
Here KM is getting started from scratch.
Can you pls guide us with a questionnare tool in order to find out the present knowledge sharing culture existing in ISRO. else, can we design a questionnare to find out the existing gap in the KM implementation? Please throw some light.
Please send some related stuffs to me @ the mail id:
s.p.shrijayanthi@gmail.com

We intend to use your OCTAPACE profile in order to find out the organizational culture existing in ISRO.

MG said...

Dear Sir,
I am doing my research out of which motivational climate is one variable. I am using your MAO-C questionnaire for this.
Can I contact you for some help?
My mail i.d. is 2007.madhurima@gmail.com

Dr. Sheela Srivastava said...

Respected Sir,

Greetings of the day!!!

Myself, Prof. (Dr.) Sheela Srivastava, currently working with School of Management Studies, K.L. University, Guntur would like to invite you for conducting a HR workshop for Management Students, we propose to have the Management Meet on 12th & 13th March'10.

May I kindly request you to provide me the contact details to reach you on telephone to finalise the same.

Hoping for an early reply from your end.

--
Regards,

Dr. Sheela Srivastava
sheelasrivastava@gmail.com

Srovona said...

Hi

I am trying to use the MAO-S questionnaire that you created. However, I am unable to understand 3 things:

1. How can one interpret the Motive Index?
2. What is the SFQ and OPI?
3. For the norms, should one consider the motive index or the colum totals

I have the workshop on 18th Feb

Unknown said...

Hi Sir

I am a training professional and which book would you suggest me to read for new insight about Training and Development.

Regards
Ramanjit

Unknown said...

Hi Sir

I am a Training Professional and which book would you recommend me to read for better insights of Training and Development.

Regards
Ramanjit