It is a cold rainy evening in Bangalore as I sit down to write this. It has been five years since I moved to this beautiful city. The move came at a time of a great personal loss for me. But surprisingly Bangalore and her people accepted me with wide arms, especially those at Samsung R&D Institute – Bangalore. And that’s how my innings in HR began. In the last five years I have immersed myself in this function and still think that I have a great deal to learn about the field. Last year I began this practice of penning down my thoughts on this milestone, so here’s the 2023 edition.
Be Prepared for Brickbats and some Bouquets
HR folk often get blamed for multiple things – slow processes, non committal ways, bad culture and grievances of all nature. But the truth is that people processes are sometimes painfully slow, because any decision affecting employees is considered in its entirety given its long term impact. There is always a domino effect at play. So even at the risk of receiving brickbats, the right decision must be made. And when the decision is fruitful, we sometimes get a well deserved pat on the back.
Influence without (much) Authority
The position of an HR person is tricky. In simpler words, you cannot enforce certain things (while you can enforce others). Good people management practices, leadership actions, value based decision making, culture building rituals are some of the things which we strive to inculcate in the workforce but cannot always enforce as a rule. They lose meaning when enforced from a place of authority. But when a good HR person influences these actions, the effect is extraordinary. When folks see the value in doing these things – they become true converts. But making them walk over that bridge requires patience.
Data is Everything
In an ambiguous world, there is a constant demand for quick decisions and judgements. Split second calls are the norm. But when it comes to people’s decisions – say, what’s the ideal work from office vs. work from home mix – you cannot rely on intuition. Data aids objectivity in decision. Being good with data – collection, clean up, analysis, presentation of it – visually and otherwise is a necessary skill.
Physician Heal Thyself
There is an occupational hazard to the profession – your own health. It is natural to feel stressed and burnt out when you are dealing with problems of other people. You are constantly putting yourself after your stakeholders. At this point, it is important to have a strong support system. Good friends and colleagues who lift you up and help you be positive throughout this journey.
Being Open to Change
One can never be fixed in your views when it comes to people. People change, circumstances change, environment changes and that’s why one needs to constantly be open to changing one’s own views about others, especially in the professional context. As humans we are incredibly biased. It helps to be aware of these biases, especially when taking crucial decisions regarding people and their livelihoods. Today’s non performer is a future leader in a changed context.
It’s been a great journey in this field. I am excited to see what more the next year brings!