The idea of HRM is totally alien to most of the industrial might of this country
HUMAN Resource Management is the in-thing these days. Every seth and wannabe-seth alike wants to be considered ‘enlightened’ and is eager to establish a Human Resource Management department. This is more of a fad, slapping your own face to make it as red as the gentleman next doors.
However, none of these industrialists, seths, entrepreneurs or whatever they choose to call themselves, have any idea what HRM is about. With the exception of multi-nationals and a few companies, the idea of HRM is totally alien to most of the industrial-might of this country.
HR Managers aren’t exactly what they look like during the interview. Everything may look perfect. The presentation, absolutely by the book. However, once you are in the company, be it a multi-national or a local concern, it becomes a different story all together. It takes a keen eye just to, in a few weeks, recognize the wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Organizations in Pakistan are seth organizations. While, in many cases, the Managing Director calling the shots, of course is aided and abetted by the infamous Accountant and of course the primary bread winners, the sales and marketing people. The position of the HR Manager is created just to please the principal concern with its headquarters either in the US or Europe. Mostly because they want a Pakistani representative at their global HR conference held every year. And just allow me to paint the picture for you.
The HR Manager’s role is that of a book keeper, restricted to the Head Office, and that of a emancipated executive secretary who manages the high profile affairs of the seth. For example, managing the seth and his family’s entry and exist from the country, maintenance of the seth’s house, inclusive of fumigation at important functions, and other trivial tasks not worth mentioning. And this my friends is the HR Manager, of a multi-national, as I found out, at great personal expense.
Who would have imagined ‘groom makeovers’ a few years back. Yet, starting from Rs2500/-, every saloon of some stature offers groom make up. The same thing is happening with HR Management; personnel managers of yesteryears are getting a quick makeover to be passed as HR Managers. Invariably every organization, irrespective of its size has re-labelled the Personnel Manager.
Most of these enlightened seths have not traded expediency at the cost of modernity. The re-labelled Personnel Manager still holds the key responsibility of being the Administration Manager. The seth has ensured that the HR remains the administrative arm of the management. It is, therefore, no surprise that the majority of re-modelled HR positions are held by ex-Servicemen. Ex-Servicemen are hired with the sole objective of maintaining the status quo and keeping the monitoring agencies at bay.
It is due to this self-serving attitude of Pakistani seths, that today we have two breeds of HR Managers; by virtue of the roles assigned to the former Personnel Managers — turned HR Manager, the seth has ensured that the newly created position of HR Manager in the organization does not transcend the traditional boundaries set for a Personnel Manager. The newly created HR Managers are simply emancipated Personnel Managers who respond to requests for services or advice. They provide the administrative system required by the management.
Many companies in Pakistan, of the 21st Century, champion HR principles and encourage its HR Manager to innovate, formulate, and implement new ideas. However, when it comes to annual increments, the seths rely on their personal preference to award annual increments. The elaborate ‘System’ that is found in a number of companies, is simply a paper exercise. The seth does what he wishes.
At times such a biased arbitrary system of rewarding people does not fare well with employees at large that eventually result in mass desertions. The HR Manager is blamed for it and is removed from the job. The Seth on the other hand is still adamant that it was the HR Manager’s slackness that led to the desertions and not the arbitrary decisions taken by him applying necessity and utility doctrines.
In order to compete with multi-nationals in the domestic context and in a global quota-free environment, Pakistani companies have to recognize the importance of a proactive HR Manager. One capable of acting as a business partner, of developing integrated HR strategies, intervening and acting as an internal consultant with volunteer guidance on matters concerning the upholding of core values, and the achievement of consistency.
For an HR practitioner to be effective, he or she must:
• Operate strategically. He/she should have the ability to take, and implement, a strategic and coherent view of the whole range of HR policies and processes in relation to business as whole.
• Ensure that their innovations and services are aligned to business needs and priorities, while taking account of the needs of the employees and other stakeholders.
• Understand the culture of the organization and have the capability to facilitate change, initiating it when necessary and acting as a stabilizing force in situations where change would be damaging.
• Appreciate organizational and individual needs.
• Understand HR systems and techniques
• Be value-driven
• Be business-like
• Get involved
• Be good at networking
• Intervene effectively
• Be persuasive
• Be a realist
• Be a marketer
Unless Pakistani companies recognize the role of a HR Manager in furthering their business interest, it is suggested that they continue their age old practice of having a Personnel and Administration Manager and not bother engaging someone to act as an HR Manager.
