Dear Friends,

Indian organisations may be neglecting the single department that can transform a business in disarray, to a symphonic organisation with an employer-edge. Initially, the personnel department used to be situated in the basement. People working there were record keepers. They never made people decisions: hiring and performance reviews. Instead, they processed papers associated with those decisions by department heads in other areas.

With the automation of conventional functions and administration work of human resource, such as the management of employees files, salary, welfare, working attendance, vacation and access to personnel policy, the HR department (referred to as the Personnel department), as it was earlier has clearly become redundant. However, new generation enterprises and entrepreneurs around the world have already redefined the HR function. Now companies, at least a large number of MNCs, expect the HR department to act more like coaches and counsellors and thus manage human resources for the organisation. "HR is now seen as a differentiating edge, not just as an ordinary function," says Radhika Gopalkrishnan, Consultant, Hewitt Associates.

Human resource professionals at present recruit and interview employees as well as advise on hiring decisions. In an effort to improve morale and productivity and limit job turnover, they also help firms effectively utilise employee skills, provide training opportunities, boost employee satisfaction and improve working conditions.

Dave Ulrich explains in one of his articles, that HR has four basic tasks to execute, to become effective. First, HR should be a partner to strategy execution. Second, it should map the way work is organised and executed. Third, it should become a champion for employees. And fourth, it should become an agent of continual change.