Though technology has come to stay and generations have grown up on modern technology, there is no substitute to ‘human touch,’ when it comes to human resources (HR), said HR managers of industries ranging from information technology to construction sector.
At The Hindu Shine HR Conclave–Chennai chapter, titled ‘HR for India 3.0,’ on Tuesday, panellists from Renault Nissan Technology, Larsen & Toubro, Tata Consultancy Services, Randstad and Ramco Systems, all agreed on one thing — technology can be used as a tool to communicate but it is anybody’s guess if the communication is interpreted correctly by all.
The panellists fell back on their experience in handling employees, their aspirations and goals. Managing people comes with a variety of challenges. HR had evolved even as industry had grown in the country.
From balancing trade unions to dealing with a generation that looks for quick success and promotions, HR, as a department, had also evolved, said one panellist.
Dharmarajan Narayanan, HR head of L&T, recollected the ‘delight’ he experienced ‘watching the team work on the Delhi airport.’ TCS’s K. Ganesan, who recruits college students, said he relied on the footprints they left on social networking sites.
Richa Pande of Ramco also sets store by social networking sites that offer an insight into employees’ attitude to work and workplace. Ultimately, it is the culture the organisation has built over the years that colours the attitude of an employee, said Renault’s Arokiya Sagayaraj.
Despite all HR initiatives, it makes sense to grab a talent if you see one, said Moorthy Uppaluri, chief executive officer of Randstad. Indranil Chakraborty, founder of Storyworks, moderated the discussion.
