WHAT IS HRM IN THE NEW ERA

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When someone enters your house on a hot summer afternoon what would you do?

You would readily offer him a glass of cool water as you understand his physical needs. This in essence is the beginning of HRM. The need of human beings vary from a glass of water in a visiting house to receiving standing ovation in front of his family for outstanding performance in the office. While in the first case the need is non competitive it is not so in the second case. Fulfillment of a need in a competitive environment creates winners and runners. The role of HR in managing the hurt ego and the priding ego and the in between supporting egos of both sides decide the success of the HR functionary.

A competitive salary and good infrastructure in the office takes care of the basic needs of employees which in turn take care of social and physiological aspects.  But the cultural diversities, personal talents, aspirations and ambitions force differing responses. Synergizing behavior towards a common goal, towards a common professional demeanor is the success of HRM. For this deeper understanding of basic human dreams and displayed pattern of behavior with that secret mission in mind are to be understood. Unlike a couple of decades ago, the youth today have too many distractions and hence tendency to stray and be demonstrative which adds to the complexity of work life which the HRM alone would  end up answering when things go wrong.

The fulfillment of esteem and self actualization needs which in the past were more in the higher echelon is spread throughout the cadres now. It is “Best Salesman of the month”, “Best support staff of the year” and many more such titles that are conferred adding visibility to an individual. It is not only stress achieving them but also frustration to be trying hard and facing appraisal in public with Power Point presentations. While it is always easy to keep the winner happy, it is important to make the losers feel that they have been fairly dealt.  

Security needs the most basic and important in any job used to be guaranteed not only by the stringent laws that exist even today, but also by the strong trade unions. Hence the majority of the employees were not worried of other needs as the most wanted needs of theirs was fulfilled in full and the HRM focused more on IR issues than HR issues. Today such secure jobs have contracted thro contractual assignments and competitive job seekers prefer challenges, quick money, more opportunities for growth thus giving hands full of jobs to HR managers.

Salary is no more for food clothing and shelter. The super rich come to the job and the pay is virtually his pocket money. Yet he needs the job for status and also to flaunt. The poorest needs the job for food clothing and shelter but he also wants to parade his new status and also tends to stretch himself to enhance his standing. There are many in the in between categories.

The Maslow’s theory on hierarchy of needs is still relevant yet the intensity of the needs as also their relative position in the ladder varies. The behavioral pattern in the office is related to the modern lifestyle which in turn is conditioned by continuous changes that happens around the globe. Understanding this is the beginning of HRM in the new era and where the end is not known perhaps because it could be unending.


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