Human Resources Articles

In the late 1960s and the early 1970s, when various terms and conditions for affirmative action and equal employment opportunity were laid down, diversity was merely a buzzword, a buzzword which primarily meant differences in gender, color and race. With the onset of time, the scope of characteristics that are included in diversity has increased tremendously. Some of the new elements that have now become a part of diversity are physical ability, ethnicity, age, religious belief, educational background, work experience and many others.

Technological advancements world over are penetrating rapidly across all industries. With the growing influence of technological solutions, companies are becoming leaner and require quicker turnaround times. Tech disruptions have come in several forms. Retail industry has been disrupted by ecommerce, physical retail banking has been replaced by mobile & net banking etc. And this trend is here to stay. And to cope with this kind of a futuristic business landscape, it is critical that employees are prepared and trained by the HR. Hence, apart from people management, HR has to play a critical role in ensuring people are ready to conduct businesses in the future. Else HRs would soon become obsolete.

Employees form the backbone of any organisation as they are responsible for the drive needed to move towards a company’s vision. People from different verticals and departments have to work collectively fulfilling their roles & duties so that the larger objective if a company can be achieved. Companies which are big in operations have their business units spread across various locations and geographies. But wherever the employees are, they need to have synergies when they work so that they can all work together to get to the final objective. Thus it becomes important for companies to ensure that all employees are connected and work synchronously.

Employees skills are the foundation for any company to grow. Employees are needed in companies solely based on their competencies and skills which fulfil a particular role or profile in a company. A collective effort of skillful employees leads to the momentum which helps companies achieve their goals. Either skilled employees are hired or they are nurtured in companies with training and development programs. But with the advancement in technology, a lot of human skills and work are being replaced by machines, programs and softwares.

HR has always been a function tackling issues related to employees. HR as a domain has always taken a backseat in businesses where the lime light more often than is taken by Finance or Operations or Marketing. But the fact of the matter is that HR is an equally important pillar every organization must focus upon. Human resources are not only responsible for the recruiting the right talent in the company but is also responsible for their training, development, growth, career management etc. HR is the invisible force which keeps the employees motivated and aligned with the company vision and goals. But HR comes with its own set of challenges, especially in today’s scenario.

With the growing emphasis on automation in corporates and its processes, one imperative question which arises is whether or not it can affect the department of human resources (HR) and if yes, then how? With each and every year passing by, machine based solutions are making an impact across all sectors and departments. And similarly, artificial intelligence can play a pivotal role in human resources as well.