National Conference Held at Jain University on "Changing Role of HRM-the Strategic Opportunities & Challenges"

Bangalore, India, March 8, 2016 (Newswire.com) - ​Bangalore, India

Human Resource Management (HRM) is a vital cog in the management wheels of a company. Without a properly functioning HRM team, it is practically impossible for a firm, whether it be a corporate giant or an educational institution, to operate harmoniously. The role of HRM has changed over the years from purely providing support in administration to becoming strategic partners in the businesses they represent. In this wake, the School of Commerce Studies, Jain University, conducted a national conference on “Changing Role of HRM – The Strategic Opportunities and Challenges”. Almost 75 papers were presented during the one-day conference. 

Nandini Matiyani, Vice President and Global Head – Human Resources, Wipro Technologies, started the proceeding with her keynote address, which highlighted the evolution of HRM. “In my journey at Wipro, I have seen the transformation of an HR person from an administrator handling the payroll to the present day, where an HR professional is sitting with the business heads to devise and implement key strategies that drive the firm forward,” she said. 

Mr. Dayanand Guddin, Chief Human Resource Officer, Mahindra Aerospace Pvt. Ltd., set the tone for the session with his pragmatic approach to the theme. “When we are talking about strategies, which is a continuous process, we have to ensure that the people for whom the strategy is designed for is linked together in the process. We have to make sure that people and their talent are linked to the end-to-end strategic chain,” he said. Aaron Watson, Founder Director, Sinai Global, picked up from where Mr. Dayanand left, and opened his speech with the quote “The Hands that serve are holier than lips that pray”. Mr. Aaron recalled many personal anecdotes ever since he founded Sinai Global and enlivened the audience. He ended his discourse by saying, “I come from the grassroots and stay there. Forget all the management jargon involving strategies and approaches, ultimately what matters to the employee is action. 

Mr. Cherian Thomas, the eminent journalist and training editor at Bloomberg, began his talk by wondering aloud what a journalist was doing at an HRM conference. However, he provided a journalist’s perspective to the session. “As HR professionals, you need to know that there are deep throats in organizations, there are disgruntled employers. You may have put in place the greatest infrastructure and facilities, but if the employees are not satisfied, then what is the point,” he said. 

Ms. Aparna Prasad, Director, Corporate Strategy, Human Resources and Communications, JGI Group and Jain University, the final speaker at the plenary session emphasized on the link between corporate strategy, business and people. “I believe human resource practices are integral to business success.” Corporate policies, rules and regulations are enablers and drivers that cannot replace the capabilities of people. In times of innovation, speed and expertise, the power and dynamics of people can rebuild any organization from the bottom line. She added, from an attendant to the top level management, we should share one goal and one dream. We should have a deeper sense of purpose and be able to connect to people, who immensely contribute in the success of an organization.
The plenary session was followed by a rousing Q&A session that saw many meaningful debates and interactions.