A great work place is where each one of us wants to find ourselves in. But which is the right place? Your prospective employee will also have this question in his mind. If you want your company name to pop up in his mind, get ready, you have a great deal of work to do - Build an employment brand for your company.
Employee brand is a relatively new coinage but definitely a critical factor which will help you resolve most of your recruitment hardships. It is all about being a company where people will want to work. And definitely stressing on literally "being a company where people want to work", because unless you have a great workplace you cannot create such an image.
How can a good employment brand help me as a HR?
You will surely love it if you do not have to struggle in convincing your prospective employees about the positives of joining your company, right? Having a brand image as a good employer will help you:
Keep ahead in the talent war
Attract and induce the right kind of people you are looking for
Enhance your ability to get quality resumes to choose from
Retain your existing employee pool
Subsequently see a dip in employee turnover
How can I help in building the company brand?
Being in the HR space, you have the most potential to drive the company towards building its brand. Perhaps you should be the spearhead of this project. Before you start, remember that building a brand cannot happen overnight. It is a long term strategy which needs a complete relook at the way your organization works.
So, where do I start? Once you get your top management convinced about your strategy, go ahead with setting your brand objective. Be clear as to what is the employment brand image that you want to achieve. This is the first step and you proceed with your internal strategies and slowly move into external promotional activities.
Encourage your senior management to support best practices in HR
Value, vision and practice have to start with the key strategy players - the top management. Get their support to implement best HR practices in your organization and you are sure you can head start to create a great work place.
Build a great work place
If salary is not the only measure of good work place anymore, then what are employees looking for?
Freedom of work
Good work culture
Leadership opportunity
Recognition for good work
Learning and career growth
Flexibility of timings
Challenges and responsibilities
Job Security
Good work life and social life balance
In simple terms, be a good employer and give your employees the maximum reasons to reject another job offer and stay on with you.
Most valuable! Make your employees speak good about you
Make them feel good and they'll speak good. There is nothing like a satisfied employee who spreads the goodwill of the company by word of mouth. He is speaking from his experience and he is the best brand ambassador you can find.
Help your company develop a space in the recruitment industry
While calling for resumes, word your advertisement in such a way that you build your company brand on terms of credibility and employee welfare.
Create a public image through PR
Public relations can help you build a credible brand image through newspapers reports and magazines. Getting listed in those ‘best employers' surveys will add a lot of value.
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Youth You can Win
The world is closing in
Did you ever think
That we could be so close, like brothers
The future's in the air
I can feel it everywhere
Blowing with the wind of change...
- Scorpions
When I was a teenager, I always admired my seniors. The so-called "youth" of that era always left me in awe - they wore loose-fitting denims; they listened to Bryan Adams; they chewed gums in front of their folks; they studied only after midnight and they ordered Pizzas. They were my icons - my pin-ups. I wondered if ever I could be like them.
Then, I do not know what happened and the "youth" in India changed. Changed forever. It was like moving from a good, ol' Amby to a Phantom, Yes, the fissure was so deep and so wide.
Today, India makes an appearance in nearly every debate across the globe. Suddenly, India is an economic competitor to the first world countries; is talked about for reasons other than Kashmir, its dismal poverty levels and corruption status and a mystical religion.
And I hold the transformation of youth culture in our country responsible for this stark change in attitude towards our nation across the world.
Today, we are the youth of the nation - we carry the shoulders that lug the present and the future of the country. We have a lot more of choice; a lot to look out for. A lot of things that we are forced to miss out on; a lot which we cant even dream of overlooking. Like I said, our lives have changed from those who were at our age, a decade back. And how!
Ours is NOT a confused generation. Ours is a generation of too-many choices. Generation Question Mark, as I would put it.
Look at the choices we have - from Big Boss to OC; from Roadies to Apprentice; from Sin City to Planet Earth; from cargoes to slim belts; from IBN7 to CNN; from WWF to F1; from Sachin Pilot to Nicolas Sarkozy; from Anil Ambani to Lakshmi Mittal; from farmer suicides to Noida homicides; from Ipods to LimeWire; from viral marketing to Facebook- the choices that we are exposed to are far too many than we can retain. I do not want to get into the physiological and biological details - but am sure the facts are in place. The information feed is a lot more than the preserving capacity. A classic case of Supply Economics - surplus supply!
In this era of too many choices, I saw something the other day which propelled me to write this article. A premier music channel in the country recently launched their Youth Icon campaign this year with some unusual nominees. Like, Orkut, Multimedia phone, Rang De Basanti, Abhishek Bachchan and YOU!
Gosh! So true and so precise. Like I said, our times have changed and so have our icons.
Orkut has become more than a social networking platform for youth. 70% of the Orkut members are youth - a staggering 15% of Orkut users are Indians. Orkut has become a podium to connect - a table where you can meet, greet, flirt, talk, discuss, ideate and interact. A whole new virtual world has opened up - a world where every element of you is transparent; a world where you are being yourself.
Similarly multimedia phones have become an integral part of our lives. We need music; we need videos; we need cameras; we need to access or mails; we need updates on Cricket scores or for that matter, we want to watch the match live while on the move - the mobile phone gives us everything today.
Rang De Basanti is definitely a clutter-breaking movie - it is a film of our generation waking up to the causes and the flaws which lie somewhere in the dark alleys of our society. The film is not about beer guzzling boys turning patriotic - the film is about how we all can make a difference. Like, instead of writing this article, the film inspires me to go and boot those policemen who kicked and lathi-charged some senior citizens and women a week back.
Abhishek Bachchan - I do not know. I pardon the channel for that. They should understand that it is my choice; my voice;my icon and hence my opinion.
And the final nominee has me quite intrigued. YOU! In this era of so-much-in-so-little-time, we do not have just one Bryan Adams to select - we have a 50 Cent, a Shakira, an Atif Aslam, a Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, a Himesh Reshammiyaa; we do not have just one loose fitting denim - we have cargoes, low-waists, twisted jeans, pent-pocks. And thus we all suffer from the who-is-my-icon-disorder. Who is that one person who would throw the light on the path that I wish to tread? My father? Amartya Sen? Rahul Dravid? John Abraham? Sania Mirza? Henin-Hardenne?
We do not know. We have an answer - but we do not know what it is. The answer to this query gets lost in the echelons of mystification. And it is there that I would like to congratulate the people behind this idea - Bang on folks - in our generation, there is no better icon than ourselves. We ARE our own icon. We love to see the mirror ( no paralles to be drawn to any newspapers, living or dead!) and like the mirror telling us our merits and our flaws. We look up to ourselves like we never have.
The youth in India today has definitely changed. The reasons are too many - the influx of "foreign" influence is a primary one. I deliberately do not want to delve on the reasons - it will take one more page and i refuse to do it.
But I would like to sign off by saying that I would not want my son to iconize me or John Abraham's son or some flamboyant cricketer of his generation - I would like him to be himself and iconize and idolize himself. That way, he would be HIM. And that way, he would be a true flag-bearer for the future of our nation. And then, we would not require a RDB to startle and awaken us.
You got a problem You don't know it..Don't Know how long you can suffer it ...and it burns you can feel it till the bitter end
It didn't have to be this way you could have carried on
Another chance for you to test your freedom
Did you ever think
That we could be so close, like brothers
The future's in the air
I can feel it everywhere
Blowing with the wind of change...
- Scorpions
When I was a teenager, I always admired my seniors. The so-called "youth" of that era always left me in awe - they wore loose-fitting denims; they listened to Bryan Adams; they chewed gums in front of their folks; they studied only after midnight and they ordered Pizzas. They were my icons - my pin-ups. I wondered if ever I could be like them.
Then, I do not know what happened and the "youth" in India changed. Changed forever. It was like moving from a good, ol' Amby to a Phantom, Yes, the fissure was so deep and so wide.
Today, India makes an appearance in nearly every debate across the globe. Suddenly, India is an economic competitor to the first world countries; is talked about for reasons other than Kashmir, its dismal poverty levels and corruption status and a mystical religion.
And I hold the transformation of youth culture in our country responsible for this stark change in attitude towards our nation across the world.
Today, we are the youth of the nation - we carry the shoulders that lug the present and the future of the country. We have a lot more of choice; a lot to look out for. A lot of things that we are forced to miss out on; a lot which we cant even dream of overlooking. Like I said, our lives have changed from those who were at our age, a decade back. And how!
Ours is NOT a confused generation. Ours is a generation of too-many choices. Generation Question Mark, as I would put it.
Look at the choices we have - from Big Boss to OC; from Roadies to Apprentice; from Sin City to Planet Earth; from cargoes to slim belts; from IBN7 to CNN; from WWF to F1; from Sachin Pilot to Nicolas Sarkozy; from Anil Ambani to Lakshmi Mittal; from farmer suicides to Noida homicides; from Ipods to LimeWire; from viral marketing to Facebook- the choices that we are exposed to are far too many than we can retain. I do not want to get into the physiological and biological details - but am sure the facts are in place. The information feed is a lot more than the preserving capacity. A classic case of Supply Economics - surplus supply!
In this era of too many choices, I saw something the other day which propelled me to write this article. A premier music channel in the country recently launched their Youth Icon campaign this year with some unusual nominees. Like, Orkut, Multimedia phone, Rang De Basanti, Abhishek Bachchan and YOU!
Gosh! So true and so precise. Like I said, our times have changed and so have our icons.
Orkut has become more than a social networking platform for youth. 70% of the Orkut members are youth - a staggering 15% of Orkut users are Indians. Orkut has become a podium to connect - a table where you can meet, greet, flirt, talk, discuss, ideate and interact. A whole new virtual world has opened up - a world where every element of you is transparent; a world where you are being yourself.
Similarly multimedia phones have become an integral part of our lives. We need music; we need videos; we need cameras; we need to access or mails; we need updates on Cricket scores or for that matter, we want to watch the match live while on the move - the mobile phone gives us everything today.
Rang De Basanti is definitely a clutter-breaking movie - it is a film of our generation waking up to the causes and the flaws which lie somewhere in the dark alleys of our society. The film is not about beer guzzling boys turning patriotic - the film is about how we all can make a difference. Like, instead of writing this article, the film inspires me to go and boot those policemen who kicked and lathi-charged some senior citizens and women a week back.
Abhishek Bachchan - I do not know. I pardon the channel for that. They should understand that it is my choice; my voice;my icon and hence my opinion.
And the final nominee has me quite intrigued. YOU! In this era of so-much-in-so-little-time, we do not have just one Bryan Adams to select - we have a 50 Cent, a Shakira, an Atif Aslam, a Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, a Himesh Reshammiyaa; we do not have just one loose fitting denim - we have cargoes, low-waists, twisted jeans, pent-pocks. And thus we all suffer from the who-is-my-icon-disorder. Who is that one person who would throw the light on the path that I wish to tread? My father? Amartya Sen? Rahul Dravid? John Abraham? Sania Mirza? Henin-Hardenne?
We do not know. We have an answer - but we do not know what it is. The answer to this query gets lost in the echelons of mystification. And it is there that I would like to congratulate the people behind this idea - Bang on folks - in our generation, there is no better icon than ourselves. We ARE our own icon. We love to see the mirror ( no paralles to be drawn to any newspapers, living or dead!) and like the mirror telling us our merits and our flaws. We look up to ourselves like we never have.
The youth in India today has definitely changed. The reasons are too many - the influx of "foreign" influence is a primary one. I deliberately do not want to delve on the reasons - it will take one more page and i refuse to do it.
But I would like to sign off by saying that I would not want my son to iconize me or John Abraham's son or some flamboyant cricketer of his generation - I would like him to be himself and iconize and idolize himself. That way, he would be HIM. And that way, he would be a true flag-bearer for the future of our nation. And then, we would not require a RDB to startle and awaken us.
You got a problem You don't know it..Don't Know how long you can suffer it ...and it burns you can feel it till the bitter end
It didn't have to be this way you could have carried on
Another chance for you to test your freedom
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
HR - Focus on strategy and outsource the practice
HR - Focus on strategy and outsource the practice
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Perspectives do change and it has now, for HR. On careful observation, one can clearly see the shift that is occurring in the way HR is perceived and is expected to function. Shifting workforce demographics, rapid changes in technology and the globalization of world economy have resulted in a shift in the way businesses operate and consequently the way HR functions.
Usually, at least in the past, HR has had the misfortune of being considered as a necessary, but yet unessential or unproductive department in an organization. It was considered an administrative doer rather than a strategic partner and catalyst. HR in that context merely meant regular administrative & record-keeping functionalities. This perspective though, has rapidly changed in today's knowledge era.
Well, what made the perspective change? Just as every era had a primary source of wealth creation, as in land in agrarian era; the primary source for wealth creation in the knowledge era is Human capital. Although technology and other resources have dramatically changed the way business is conducted; it is, nevertheless, the people who utilize it, that make all the difference.
According to the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD): “A high-knowledge, multi-skilled workforce is the most important competitive resource available to organizations today. Instead of an economy organized around mass production, recent years have witnessed the rise of an economy dominated by technology and service industries that emphasize innovation, speed, cross-functionality, and strong customer relations.” [1]
The above quote is a reflection of what we are seeing in today's highly volatile and competitive business environment; where technology, trends and consequently workforces are in a state of constant flux. It is in this light that HR is being perceived differently and is being elevated to a leadership role & that of a key business partner.
The changing face of HR
In this new model, HR assumes a more strategic role. It contributes towards the planning, formulation and accomplishment of organization objectives. It then creates it's own objectives in line with the overall business objectives, thereby impacting every aspect of its services.
One of the synonyms of this knowledge era is change and consequently unpredictability. Here, HR plays a key and pivotal role in identifying the capability gaps that consequently arise. A capability gap is the difference between the ability of existing systems to meet operational requirements and of what's expected of it. It's the lack of knowledge, skills and abilities in the current system to meet set organizational/individual goals or expected capability. You can read more on capability gaps over here.
It identifies these gaps and works closely with the management to fill these gaps by obtaining the appropriate resources, training available resources and through other means. Successful organizations are those that are flexible and are quick to adapt; needless to say the HR department plays a crucial role in this process of adapting.
As a link between the employee and the employer, the HR manager, plays a key role in advocating cordial relations between the two. The professional is required to have a deep understanding of people and of their roles, so as to create a work environment that's friendly, motivating and productive.
The HR advocates the objectives of one group to the other. As an advocate of the employee, the professional creates development and growth opportunities, benefit plans, assistance programs etc for the benefit of the employee. She is also expected to develop strong employee relations, to not just spot problems early, but also to work collectively and solve them.
On the flip side, as the employer's advocate, it is her responsibility to build a spirit of employee ownership of the organization, create a sense of responsibility and urgency and set goals which are in line with the organizations objectives. Once this is done, she is to measure & maintain these and ensure that the organization is on its way to achieve its objectives.
It is also the responsibility of the HR to champion change in the organization, as and when required. It's up to the HR to bring about the changes with the least amount of employee dissatisfaction.
For all of the above to happen, she is to work closely with each and every department of the organization and for that, it is pivotal to have a strong understanding of the different departmental functionalities and stays up-to-date with each of these. It is also pivotal that she develops strong consultative skills, to keep the communication flowing between the departments and the management.
Now, although some of these duties have always been performed by the HR department, it's in the increasingly consultative & strategic partnership role that we find the new and changing role of the HR.
Is HR able to scale up to this challenge?
While HR is required to scale up to meet this challenge, it is constantly deterred by the usual, time-consuming & complex administrative functions. Added to this, are several other concerns like, managing an HR department that spans across geographical boundaries and others. It is this deterrence that prevents it from performing the role that it has to. While this is the case, it has become pivotal & necessary for HR to focus on key strategic issues.
So, what can be done to deal with the deterrence?
Several companies have tried outsourcing several or all of their administrative HR functionalities. Having done so, these companies have reported being able to free themselves from these time-consuming tasks and have been able to direct their focus to key strategic human capital issues. This way, HR has been able scale up and play the role of a strategic business partner.
Outsourcing HR processes brings along with it several other benefits, such as:
Increased efficiency & decreased cost
Workforce capability and efficiency can be fully optimized
HR infrastructure can be streamlined
Diverse HR services can be offered
Quality of HR services offered will be enhanced
HR staff will have access to subject-matter expertise which was previously not available in-house, allowing for collaboration of ideas
Benchmarked data can be easily generated, enabling management to make smart decisions
Overcome inhibitions like lack of time and expertise in keeping pace with ever changing legislation & details
Ensure legal compliance and avoid penalties
Enable decision making that is independent of employee factions and loyalties
Manage transformation or change easily in case of a spin-offs or acquisitions, with the additional and ready resources offered by 3 rd party providers
Ensure usage of best practice processes and technologies. Get over with usage of outdated technologies and practices
Better employee services, leading to improved employee satisfaction and consequently, retention
Cut costs of non-strategic activities
Reduce internal administrative effort
Reduce the capital expenditures required to upgrade and maintain HR systems
Ensure highly secure back-up facility for data security
Cut costs on training and on staying up-to-date on non-core business activities
Reduce employer risk, by ensuring that no HR work is left undone
Save time and money that may have been spent on correcting HR errors and dealing with disciplinary problems
Increased service levels
Improvement of internal processes
Consolidation of business processes across divisions
Avoid lack of capabilities
Outsourcing concerns
Fears associated with outsourcing are bound to arise, which is only natural and hence, understanding the factors that are associated with outsourcing need to be carefully considered before any decision is made.
Total Outsourcing HR does have a few drawbacks. There is nothing like having an HR professional in-house “in the flesh”. This professional can be the interface between the employer and employee, furthering each others cause simultaneously. In particular, she could build employee relations, identify and work to solve problems, address their concerns (someone they could turn to for help), create benefit plans and give out compensation perks etc; in essence, play the consultants role, of which we spoke earlier. An organization requires an internal staff/capability to address these concerns and is therefore highly recommended.
Other outsourcing concerns include:
Security of critical data, employee privacy and of transactions
Resistance from within the organization
Lack of knowledge on vendors end
Issues with cultural mis-match
Having to manage a difficult relationship with a vendor etc
Nevertheless, it is a myth that none of these concerns can't be resolved at all. It is important therefore, that care be taken at the point of choosing a vendor, to choose one that addresses all of these concerns.
Good quality vendors on their part, ensure that each of these concerns is addressed. Some of the ways they do so are by offering a highly secure back-up facility to protect data and to retrieve data in case of system crash, keeping themselves up-to-date with new developments, prepare themselves to be culturally compatible etc. You can also link up a “Beakware security article” here.
Conclusion
The way businesses operate have changed tremendously over the past few years and consequently, the role of the HR department. In such a scenario, HR professionals are required to quickly scale up and the department as a whole, needs to make the transition from that of a mere administrative ‘doer' to that of a 'strategic business partner'.
This process of transition is unfortunately slowed down by many of HR's own problems. This not surprisingly, is always the case when a change takes place. But thankfully, along with the problem, comes the solution too. In this case, it is HR outsourcing.
HR outsourcing is a widely accepted practice and has come to stay. Companies are increasingly realizing the benefits of outsourcing, how it is helps in utilizing resources and staying ahead of competition. Outsourcing can now help organizations leverage technology and expertise to draw value of their non-strategic processes. Times change and new trends come in, the same has happened with the erstwhile era and now with the change, trends like outsourcing have come in. Organizations now need to decide not whether they will outsource or not, but rather, when and how they will outsource.
Footnotes:
1. The Human Capital Challenge (ASTD Public Policy Council, August, 2003).
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Perspectives do change and it has now, for HR. On careful observation, one can clearly see the shift that is occurring in the way HR is perceived and is expected to function. Shifting workforce demographics, rapid changes in technology and the globalization of world economy have resulted in a shift in the way businesses operate and consequently the way HR functions.
Usually, at least in the past, HR has had the misfortune of being considered as a necessary, but yet unessential or unproductive department in an organization. It was considered an administrative doer rather than a strategic partner and catalyst. HR in that context merely meant regular administrative & record-keeping functionalities. This perspective though, has rapidly changed in today's knowledge era.
Well, what made the perspective change? Just as every era had a primary source of wealth creation, as in land in agrarian era; the primary source for wealth creation in the knowledge era is Human capital. Although technology and other resources have dramatically changed the way business is conducted; it is, nevertheless, the people who utilize it, that make all the difference.
According to the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD): “A high-knowledge, multi-skilled workforce is the most important competitive resource available to organizations today. Instead of an economy organized around mass production, recent years have witnessed the rise of an economy dominated by technology and service industries that emphasize innovation, speed, cross-functionality, and strong customer relations.” [1]
The above quote is a reflection of what we are seeing in today's highly volatile and competitive business environment; where technology, trends and consequently workforces are in a state of constant flux. It is in this light that HR is being perceived differently and is being elevated to a leadership role & that of a key business partner.
The changing face of HR
In this new model, HR assumes a more strategic role. It contributes towards the planning, formulation and accomplishment of organization objectives. It then creates it's own objectives in line with the overall business objectives, thereby impacting every aspect of its services.
One of the synonyms of this knowledge era is change and consequently unpredictability. Here, HR plays a key and pivotal role in identifying the capability gaps that consequently arise. A capability gap is the difference between the ability of existing systems to meet operational requirements and of what's expected of it. It's the lack of knowledge, skills and abilities in the current system to meet set organizational/individual goals or expected capability. You can read more on capability gaps over here.
It identifies these gaps and works closely with the management to fill these gaps by obtaining the appropriate resources, training available resources and through other means. Successful organizations are those that are flexible and are quick to adapt; needless to say the HR department plays a crucial role in this process of adapting.
As a link between the employee and the employer, the HR manager, plays a key role in advocating cordial relations between the two. The professional is required to have a deep understanding of people and of their roles, so as to create a work environment that's friendly, motivating and productive.
The HR advocates the objectives of one group to the other. As an advocate of the employee, the professional creates development and growth opportunities, benefit plans, assistance programs etc for the benefit of the employee. She is also expected to develop strong employee relations, to not just spot problems early, but also to work collectively and solve them.
On the flip side, as the employer's advocate, it is her responsibility to build a spirit of employee ownership of the organization, create a sense of responsibility and urgency and set goals which are in line with the organizations objectives. Once this is done, she is to measure & maintain these and ensure that the organization is on its way to achieve its objectives.
It is also the responsibility of the HR to champion change in the organization, as and when required. It's up to the HR to bring about the changes with the least amount of employee dissatisfaction.
For all of the above to happen, she is to work closely with each and every department of the organization and for that, it is pivotal to have a strong understanding of the different departmental functionalities and stays up-to-date with each of these. It is also pivotal that she develops strong consultative skills, to keep the communication flowing between the departments and the management.
Now, although some of these duties have always been performed by the HR department, it's in the increasingly consultative & strategic partnership role that we find the new and changing role of the HR.
Is HR able to scale up to this challenge?
While HR is required to scale up to meet this challenge, it is constantly deterred by the usual, time-consuming & complex administrative functions. Added to this, are several other concerns like, managing an HR department that spans across geographical boundaries and others. It is this deterrence that prevents it from performing the role that it has to. While this is the case, it has become pivotal & necessary for HR to focus on key strategic issues.
So, what can be done to deal with the deterrence?
Several companies have tried outsourcing several or all of their administrative HR functionalities. Having done so, these companies have reported being able to free themselves from these time-consuming tasks and have been able to direct their focus to key strategic human capital issues. This way, HR has been able scale up and play the role of a strategic business partner.
Outsourcing HR processes brings along with it several other benefits, such as:
Increased efficiency & decreased cost
Workforce capability and efficiency can be fully optimized
HR infrastructure can be streamlined
Diverse HR services can be offered
Quality of HR services offered will be enhanced
HR staff will have access to subject-matter expertise which was previously not available in-house, allowing for collaboration of ideas
Benchmarked data can be easily generated, enabling management to make smart decisions
Overcome inhibitions like lack of time and expertise in keeping pace with ever changing legislation & details
Ensure legal compliance and avoid penalties
Enable decision making that is independent of employee factions and loyalties
Manage transformation or change easily in case of a spin-offs or acquisitions, with the additional and ready resources offered by 3 rd party providers
Ensure usage of best practice processes and technologies. Get over with usage of outdated technologies and practices
Better employee services, leading to improved employee satisfaction and consequently, retention
Cut costs of non-strategic activities
Reduce internal administrative effort
Reduce the capital expenditures required to upgrade and maintain HR systems
Ensure highly secure back-up facility for data security
Cut costs on training and on staying up-to-date on non-core business activities
Reduce employer risk, by ensuring that no HR work is left undone
Save time and money that may have been spent on correcting HR errors and dealing with disciplinary problems
Increased service levels
Improvement of internal processes
Consolidation of business processes across divisions
Avoid lack of capabilities
Outsourcing concerns
Fears associated with outsourcing are bound to arise, which is only natural and hence, understanding the factors that are associated with outsourcing need to be carefully considered before any decision is made.
Total Outsourcing HR does have a few drawbacks. There is nothing like having an HR professional in-house “in the flesh”. This professional can be the interface between the employer and employee, furthering each others cause simultaneously. In particular, she could build employee relations, identify and work to solve problems, address their concerns (someone they could turn to for help), create benefit plans and give out compensation perks etc; in essence, play the consultants role, of which we spoke earlier. An organization requires an internal staff/capability to address these concerns and is therefore highly recommended.
Other outsourcing concerns include:
Security of critical data, employee privacy and of transactions
Resistance from within the organization
Lack of knowledge on vendors end
Issues with cultural mis-match
Having to manage a difficult relationship with a vendor etc
Nevertheless, it is a myth that none of these concerns can't be resolved at all. It is important therefore, that care be taken at the point of choosing a vendor, to choose one that addresses all of these concerns.
Good quality vendors on their part, ensure that each of these concerns is addressed. Some of the ways they do so are by offering a highly secure back-up facility to protect data and to retrieve data in case of system crash, keeping themselves up-to-date with new developments, prepare themselves to be culturally compatible etc. You can also link up a “Beakware security article” here.
Conclusion
The way businesses operate have changed tremendously over the past few years and consequently, the role of the HR department. In such a scenario, HR professionals are required to quickly scale up and the department as a whole, needs to make the transition from that of a mere administrative ‘doer' to that of a 'strategic business partner'.
This process of transition is unfortunately slowed down by many of HR's own problems. This not surprisingly, is always the case when a change takes place. But thankfully, along with the problem, comes the solution too. In this case, it is HR outsourcing.
HR outsourcing is a widely accepted practice and has come to stay. Companies are increasingly realizing the benefits of outsourcing, how it is helps in utilizing resources and staying ahead of competition. Outsourcing can now help organizations leverage technology and expertise to draw value of their non-strategic processes. Times change and new trends come in, the same has happened with the erstwhile era and now with the change, trends like outsourcing have come in. Organizations now need to decide not whether they will outsource or not, but rather, when and how they will outsource.
Footnotes:
1. The Human Capital Challenge (ASTD Public Policy Council, August, 2003).
Hi All
This is Neeraj, from MHRM batch 2004-06, currently with Genpact. This is another wonderful initiative taken by Vijay Kumar sir...So lets thank him by enrolling ourselves into this blogger & by using this as a platform where we can share everything happening in our prfessional life.
Vijay Sir: Thank you very much.
Best Regards
Neeraj
This is Neeraj, from MHRM batch 2004-06, currently with Genpact. This is another wonderful initiative taken by Vijay Kumar sir...So lets thank him by enrolling ourselves into this blogger & by using this as a platform where we can share everything happening in our prfessional life.
Vijay Sir: Thank you very much.
Best Regards
Neeraj
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Welcome gitamite
Dear HR students of CMS Gitam !!!
hearty welcome to the HR Impact Blog
I have created a platform for HR initiatives from all the students, you can post coments to the articles on the blog.
i am hoping this will create a new begining in our circles
from my side i will connect you to all the Senior batches of our CMS HR ie., 310 alumni. who are well placed in the industry.
we will have regular postings on new intitives, HR openings of the field and Alumni organisations in particular
happy blogging
with best wishes
Vijay S. Kumar
Asst.Professor
CMS GITAM
hearty welcome to the HR Impact Blog
I have created a platform for HR initiatives from all the students, you can post coments to the articles on the blog.
i am hoping this will create a new begining in our circles
from my side i will connect you to all the Senior batches of our CMS HR ie., 310 alumni. who are well placed in the industry.
we will have regular postings on new intitives, HR openings of the field and Alumni organisations in particular
happy blogging
with best wishes
Vijay S. Kumar
Asst.Professor
CMS GITAM
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