In sync with the employees

Updated on: Monday, October 12, 2009

It was once known as the personnel management and dealt only with payrolls and the disbursements of benefits to employees. But today, personnel or Human Resource Management encompasses all aspects of human relations in an organisation. As Prof. Kajari Mukherjee, Human Resource Management (HRM), IIM-C, points out, “In the modern era, people are considered to be resources. However, this resource is slightly different in the sense that people have the knowledge, skills and the ability to learn. In that, this makes it the most vexatious asset to manage.” Small wonder, then that HR has emerged as a functional department in almost every
organisation. “It has become imperative as more and more employees spend more time in office, there is a need to take care of employee requirements,
facilitate employer-employee
relationships and increase
productivity,” says Professor Mukherjee. The objective is to bring out the best in employees while providing them with the perfect environment for growth. As Professor Mukherjee explains, “HR management looks at
sophisticated ways of enhancing performance through forms of control that are based on
commitment rather than
compliance.”

Do you have it in you?
This is very much a
people-related activity. “Hence, one should be able to communicate with ease,” says Debalina Guha Roy, HR executive with a telecom major. The other traits required are good communication skills, patience, tact and understanding, says Guha Roy. The HR manager must also have an aptitude for financial
calculations and managing
statistical data like employee turnover, salary rolls and
attendance records. Then, of course, leadership qualities are essential, if the HR manager wants to climb up the ladder.
Where do you study?
HRM is a constituent of most management programmes. Guha Roy, who completed her course from ICFAI, says, “It is better to do the programme from well-known institutes. However, find out if the institute offers good placements before joining it.”

What is the scope?
Normally, a person joins the ranks in an HR consultancy firm where he picks up the tricks of the trade. Then he may move on to a
corporate house in the same capacity. With a few years
experience there, he can shift to training or employee welfare, depending on his aptitude.
Salary levels may start at Rs 6,000 or Rs 7,000 in consultancy firms, and could go up to Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 per month in corporate houses (at the first rung stage). Middle level managers could draw about Rs 16,000 per month upwards.

In sync with the employees

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