New emerging roles and responsibilities are leading to the shift in the HR profession
from administrators to strategic advisors. Businesses are recognizing HR’s role as
a value adder and growth generator, rather than simply as an internal business
function. HR functions are getting more integrated into line management functions.
Increasingly, HR work will move into the line, with managers handling the majority
of HR-related issues and employees will be able to conduct HR-related transactions
through self-service. Adaptive HR personnel are the ones who will survive today.
There is no doubt that HR profession is in transition today. The work of human
resource development practitioners is as varied and continually changing as the
field itself. The field of HR, driven by technology and rapid growth, requires its
practitioners to continually review, update and validate their numerous roles. As HR as
a field is growing and diversifying, it is becoming acutely necessary to learn a multiplicity
of roles. Today, HR is at the sharp end of business. HR function is extending its role
within the business. There are new emerging roles and responsibilities and ever increasing
challenges ahead for HR professionals.
Traditionally, the role of HR has been described as personnel administrator, legal
advisor, safety officer, etc. The traditional HR manager participated very little in
policymaking, strategic thinking and real human resource development activities
(Rao, T V, 2003). Gone are the days when the HR professional was mere a personal
manager who was concerned with maintenance of latrines and canteens, bargain with
unions, etc. Recently, the designation strategic partner has come into existence to imply
greater alignment of HR activities with business requirements. Today, he has
metamorphosed into a specialist cum generalist, with his own expertise and fair share
in corporate strategy formulation.In this day and age, organizations are forced to thrive on the cutting edge competition
using the most appropriate technology so that their core competencies are enhanced.
For this, managing HR more effectively becomes imperative. The performance of HR
managers is being continuously scrutinized, which was not so earlier. The HR manager
is under constant pressure to keep up the spirit of employees and help them work normally |
