Disruptions to hasten HR Shifts

With regard to present day technology, we mainly see two sets of critical challenges for this function. First, when compared to other functions, HR's adoption of cutting-edge technology has been relatively sluggish and conservative for various reasons. As a corollary, HR professionals in general tend to be less technology-savvy than their counterparts in marketing and finance and hence a mandate for swift adoption of technology may perhaps meet with resistance. Further, traditionally both HR and IT have been claiming to be the 'veritable custodian' of sensitive data/information and consequently the relationship between the two has at best been an uneasy alliance

As the world was coping with the disruptions largely arising out of innovations in technology, there came yet another disruption- COVID. The COVID -19 Pandemic is considered as the mother of all disruptions that shook the entire globe. It had a slew of ramifications- it adversely impacted the economy resulting in liquidation of numerous enterprises and subsequent job losses in an unprecedented scale. This infamous pandemic has had a profound effect on the HR function and the office of the CHRO, in particular. This function finally came under the spotlight (incidentally according to industry experts the function should have taken a centre stage in the matrix of corporate functions way earlier).

Traditionally relegated to a 'second among equals' in the corporate pecking order, HR is now not only expected to lead from the front, but reinvent its role from administrator and executor to catalyst and path-finder. Two critical, interrelated questions emerge. How can HR adapt to the technology to become successful, as it undertakes this transition? And second how can this function be better equipped and fortified to serve the emerging needs of the employees who are the biggest assets of the enterprise? The twin consideration here is how can the HR function effect higher levels of focus and productivity in the emergent workplace?

With regard to present day technology, we mainly see two sets of critical challenges for this function. First, when compared to other functions, HR's adoption of cutting-edge technology has been relatively sluggish and conservative for various reasons. As a corollary, HR professionals in general tend to be less technology-savvy than their counterparts in marketing and finance and hence a mandate for swift adoption of technology may perhaps meet with resistance. Further, traditionally both HR and IT have been claiming to be the 'veritable custodian' of sensitive data/information and consequently the relationship between the two has at best been an uneasy alliance. The challenge here can be overcome though. Going forward, HR will have to be proactive in seeking assistance from IT. They have to forge an active collaboration with IT, not only in terms of the technical up gradation of it's systems but also for enhancing the technical skills of its resources.

The second challenge is rather sensitive and trickier. The new WFH and hybrid models of working, powered by technology, have found a growing number of champions among CXOs. Overheads are reduced (as are commute times) and managers take advantage of this to institutionalise longer working hours, leading to increased output, at least in the short term. But there's another side to the story: reduced teamwork, reduced bonding and camaraderie, increased alienation, isolation and loneliness, digital fatigue and growing concerns and anxiety about job security are the clear fallouts. Interestingly, while the benefits accrue to the office of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) the grouses and anxieties accumulate at the door of the CHRO, and if unattended, will sooner or later, impact productivity, the bottom-line and more importantly compromising the morale and level of engagement.

In such a situation, HR owes it to the human assets to communicate their concerns and persuade the other stakeholders at the table, of the longer-term dangers of not heeding to the concerns of employees. But there's also a deeper imperative – HR needs to use this predicament as an opportunity to build closer and more empathetic relationships with its human assets. A key pre-requisite for this is to have a deep, individual-specific understanding of not only the employee's current mindset, anxiety level, resilience, but equally – if not more importantly of the employee's intrinsic capabilities, qualities and potential, which can be unlocked for effecting win-win outcomes. It can be safely assumed that success of an enterprise in the future will now largely depend on the ability of the HR function to drive and sustain this doctrine of 'win-win'.

With regard to behavioural assessments, traditional psychometrics follows the 'disease model' of medical practice: seek symptoms for areas of concern of improvement, identify the area of lacunae and devise means of fixing the gap. However, the need of the hour is a more employee-friendly, empathetic, 'Strengths First' approach of behavioural diagnostics.

By Partha Pratim Dasgupta

The author is a Partner of X-PM India.

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