Balancing the act for organisations - IIPM Think Tank

Dr. Manas Ranjan Tripathy is an Associate Professor in HRM area with ICFAI Business School (IBS), Hyderabad. He has nearly 15 years of combined experience in academics and research, PhD in Human Resource Management from Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan and is also a recipient of Junior Research Fellowship of UGC. He has conducted several behavioural training programmes for reputed public and private sector organisations, which include NALCO, BHEL, Power Grid Corporation of India Limited, PNB, THDC India Limited, Reliance, BSL, Intelli Group, Hero Honda Group and STL.



The organisations of post-modern era are experiencing rapid change in terms of operation, processes, strategy and people. They can no longer get away with operating in loosely connected groups of business that happen to be located around the world, but must strategically integrate their activities. Survival and beating the odds are the mantras for the present-day organisations.

In a turnaround situation, a company suffers declining economic performance for an extended period of time, such that survival of the company is threatened unless serious efforts are made to improve its performance. Achieving a turnaround calls for a totally different set of skills to probe into the causes of decline and to formulate appropriate strategies to bring the company back on track and move ahead. The turnaround strategy requires exceptional leadership competencies and understanding of human processes. HR’s role is important in scripting turnaround success, though viewed with utter scepticism by specialists in a number of cases. Read more..

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The Expectation Story of an Organisation

.... But how can a CEO find a common ground with the HR manager to accomplish his expectation? The CEO has to know that HR executive has the interest of the company at heart, will be honest and tell him what other executives might be afraid of, suggest options that are clearly thought out, and keep confidences. The CEO and HR leaders need to meet regularly on both informal and formal basis to build that trust.

Mr. Haven Cockerham, senior VP of a company in Chicago, said that most CEOs have come to a conclusion that most companies have the same access to capital and equipment and that the only distinguishing factor is the HR management which works for the company.

Accessibility, empowerment and an inspiring vision are what HR wishes from a CEO.

Mr. Kaushik Chakraborty, VP Training and Development (Royal Bank of Scotland), says HR is an important partner in driving change for the organisation. To seize the challenges and develop a strategic role, HR needs support and recognition from the CEO.

In an interaction with Mr. Chakraborty, some HR expectations from the CEO came to the fore.

Q. How can the CEO help HR develop a strong and healthy corporate culture?
A. The CEO must provide support to HR in terms of understanding that talent retention is important. Any function requires some degree of expertise. And for the overall result generation it is mandatory to understand the process. A CEO must be open to people development and implement any short or long-term plan in this respect. Read more...

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ol with a Human Face

Sarah Cornally (Founder & Managing Director, Cornally Enterprises) says the HR executive should show the accurate picture of the organisation in the boardroom

Q. How aware is HR of these expectations? What is the best model of communication? 
A. There are HR executives who are highly skilled in this area and understand board’s expectations. They know how to communicate effectively and are in high demand. What works is to frame the communication in terms of what board members are focused on. Executives should understand what they have to communicate for the board of directors to assist the executive with decisions and directions. The board needs only the essential information, which makes things clear. Mastering the art of “less is more”, learning to distil to the essence, not oversimplified instead elegant is ideal.

I often recommend senior executives complete a course in understanding directors’ responsibilities to understand directors and CEOs’ needs.

Q. Often there is limited contribution that a CEO expects from HR. Is HR’s slow-paced evolution a reason for this?
A. This is true where CEOs have limited perspective of HR’s contribution or the HR executive is not truly an executive but more like a manager of basic HR functions. This is necessary and important but not at the level that would add strategic value. The pace of HR’s evolution is definitely a factor in this. Being realistic about one’s level of ability is important, it enables you to know where you add value and where you need to develop to add a more strategic level of value. What will contribute to HR’s evolution is not just within the HR profession but also amongst other executives’ understanding and experience of the strategic value HR can offer.

Q. What are the qualities that a CEO seeks in an HR leader?
A. The characteristics are: credible presence at the executive table, report to the board, work as a partner with CEO and other executives, Strength of character to be an advocate for important HR principles when it is critical to outcomes, ability to influence colleagues to embrace HR initiatives critical to business success, willingness and ability to ‘walk in the shoes’ of other executives, willingness to learn from them to understand their world, competency in understanding and working with both numbers and people. Read full interview here...

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