The Hindu Business Line : ‘Diverse workforce calls for new HR approaches’

Chennai, July 3 Today’s IT and BPO companies have to look at using new techniques to engage their workforce, through the likes of social media networking, blogs, podcasting and live chats online, according to HR professionals speaking at the annual Nasscom HR summit in the city.

With a new generation of the workforce that is as diverse, in culture and location, HR professionals feel it’s time they adapted to the changes.

Currently, in most IT companies having global presence, the workforce is more diverse than it has ever been before.

There is a myriad variety of employees, with differences in age, gender, race, sexual orientation, physical ability, marital status, work location, personal habits and recreational habits, among others, said Ms Hema Ravichandar, Strategic HR Advisor.

Newgen demands

The new generation at work is also significantly different from the previous professional generations, and this demands a change in policies as well.

The new generation has an open and direct culture.

Their sense of balance between work and life too, is very different from the traditional, said Mr R Anish, HR Director, Intel.

The present generation is interested in their career growth and are not bound by notions of loyalty to organisations, he said.

Also, there are more women in the workforce. Companies would have to engage a global workforce through social media networking, said Mr Anish.

Interaction

He said companies should have senior leaders interacting with employees through blogs, podcasts and online live chats.

There should be Web jam sessions and interaction through social networking sites such as Facebook as well, he added.

Companies should also ensure career growth that is personal and customised to an individual.

They should develop programs that go beyond formal classroom training and enable action learning.

‘Strategic function’

Mr S. V .Krishnan, Head - HR, Satyam, too, feels that the HR needs to adapt to changes. Though he questioned the validity of the phrase ’standard HR practices’, he said the role of HR department had undergone a change.

HR is no longer a support, but a strategic function, he added.

But what has been the companies’ reaction? It is still work in progress, said Mr Anish. It is difficult to make the management understand and work on it, he added.

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