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COVER STORY
Applied Ergonomics and Ways to Reduce Work Stress
-- Reshma S Gavali
Organizations of the 21st century are extremely concerned about creating a warm,
caring, supportive and encouraging environment for their employees at their workstations.
While organizations are trying to explore and exploit the physical and mental capabilities and skills
of their employees, it is very important to maintain a healthy psychosomatic balance for
continuous improved performance of their employees. Ergonomics is a study of the relationship
between people and their work environment wherein, the workplace, tasks and tools are designed to
fit individual capabilities and limitations, so that people can do their jobs safely.
© 2009 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
HR OUTSOURCING
ABC Analysis
of HR Processes Outsourcing
-- Vikram K Joshi
HR processes outsourcing is becoming the new buzz in India. Irrespective of its advantages
to an organization, dangers like dependency risks, spillover risks, loss of
in-house knowledge about suppliers, loss of cultural insights and loss of control on
both strategic and operational perspective are involved. Categorization of these processes on
the basis of the ABC analysis can reduce these dangers. This article discusses ways in which
the ABC analysis can be used for HR processes outsourcing decisions.
© 2009 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
BANKING INDUSTRY
HR Issues and Challenges in Indian Banking Sector
-- Ishita Mukherjee
This article deals with the challenges and opportunities in the Indian banking industry in
the post globalization era. Over the last two decades, several reforms have taken place within
the banking sector. As a result, the organizational models as well as practices, procedures
and systems have been redefined completely. The focus of the industry is now on HR issues
and challenges. Issues like human resource risks, empowerment and motivation, rewards
and recognition, job description, employee turnover, manpower planning and lateral
recruitment have been discussed in this article. Also, observations of distinguished banking practioners
on human resource issues and challenges have been discussed.
© 2009 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
Managing Business During Recession : Survival of the Fittest
-- S Chandrasekar
This article essentially highlights the cause for recession, need for mapping and how it could
be predicted in advance. It emphasizes on the HR perspective of retaining
employees, implementing job rotation, training them on new skills and creating a better platform for
change management during recession to keep the business going. The in-depth analysis of
forecast, progressive planning and managing the business with combinational factors is discussed
with the remedy to emerge unscathed. It opens a new dimension to the positive alternative
growth induced by HR.
© 2009 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
COMPENSATION MANAGEMENT
Compensation Management in the FMCG Industry
-- Rajashree Gujarathi
With the onset of liberalization, consumers had many products to choose from both,
domestic and imported goods. This phase lowered trade barriers and encouraged MNCs to invest in
the country. Earlier, many business organizations did not find the need to spend highly on the
level of effort, energy and time on the `strategy' part of compensation management, as they did
in areas like selling and marketing of products and services. One major reason for this is that
the results and gains of strategic compensation management are difficult to measure and
are intangible. Today, it is a necessity for the organization to use compensation management as
a strategic tool. The objective of the article is to review and understand the
different compensation management policies and practices at various FMCG.
© 2009 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
HUMAN VALUES
Human Values for Excellence in Governance and Management
-- Charu Bharti and Ashu Jain
Management entails `getting things done through others'. However, it is not as easy as it
sounds in the modern era, where we find people moving on the path of success using unfair means
like corruption, red tapism, bribes, etc. It is hard to survive as there is a growing tendency to
ignore values in the pursuit of material
prosperity. Despite this, India is one of the few civilizations
that have held on to its unbroken continuity of ethos and values. The continuous following of
Indian traditions and values is helping India grow by leaps and bounds. Our ethos and values,
derived from the Vedas, the Ramayana, the Upanishads and the Mahabharata, are still relevant even
after thousands of years of their composition. Our philosophers were great managers of time and it
is their values that act as a guide for excellence in governance and management in different areas.
© 2009 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
RECESSIONARY ECONOMY
HR Practices in a Recessionary Economy
-- C Naga Pavana and G Prabhi
The article discusses HR practices in the recessionary economy and the issues that
confront HR managers and the top management of the organizations. The various stakeholders
have different and conflicting expectations and the management is hard pressed to balance
these. The article outlines the HR practices and issues in five key areas of human resources
classified as 5Rs—Recruitment, Results, Rewards, Retention and Retrenchment.
© 2009 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
WORKPLACE ISSUES
Employee Burnout in the Healthcare Sector
-- Pradhumn Kumar
Employee burnout in the healthcare sector is creating serious problems for patients, as well
as for healthcare workers. Heavy workload, 24x7x365 days work environment and
occupational injuries are taking a toll on the health of hospital's employees. Due to these reasons,
healthcare workers are going into depression, which is affecting their professional and personal lives.
The efficiency and productivity of healthcare workers
is decreasing because of depression. Hospitals need to take care of this situation, if they want to provide good service to their patients.
© 2009 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
HR CHALLANGES
Revisiting the HR Function
-- Aman Arora
As the pace of change is increasing, organizations are trying to find new ways to
compete effectively. Now, there are raised expectations even about the services that the HR
function provides in organizations. The HR function is expected to be an active contributor in
fulfilling strategic organizational needs. The re-engineered role of HR in the changing scenario
needs serious discussion.
© 2009 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
HR ISSUES
Emerging HR : People, Resources, Milieu Change
-- Prachi Bhatt
Human resources are the mighty pillars that form the business colonnade in today's
world where a clear upswing in the firm's aim for a distinct competitive advantage is evident.
The article discusses the revolutionized state of affairs and its impact on Human
Resource Management (HRM), its new role, emerging trends for a more adaptable, and
customer-centered HRM. In this turbulent competitive era, staying abreast demands a paradigm shift
in Human Resource Development (HRD). Recession is a recent turnaround in the
business environment. The article highlights the visible blow of recession on HRD and its approaches
to deal with the same. `Human factor' is a mantra for an organization's survival and progress.
© 2009 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
CASE STUDY
Organizational Development Consultant Audition
Relaunching the Smile N Dance Complex
-- Ritwik Mishra
This case study describes specific Organizational Dynamics (OD) interventions that
can help an organization instill and sustain a culture conducive to enhancing its
productivity and efficiency. Smile N Dance is a shopping and nighttime entertainment complex
that opened in the late 1970s. It is trying to change its image in order to be relevant
and competitive with the changing times and consumer needs. In order to gain market
share and increase its bottom line, it has decided to relaunch its business with new
service offerings that will catch the attention of clients in a younger age group. This will
help Smile N Dance increase its market base and maintain a leadership position in
the industry. The company has an OD professional reporting directly to the President
and CEO, who is responsible for system enhancement, process improvements,
and workforce development. For the relaunch initiative, the OD consultant will work with
the Vice-President and COO in implementing people-specific OD interventions that
will ensure a smooth relaunch of the business.
© 2009 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
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