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On January 18th, 2023, human resource leaders from various industries came together for an exclusive event hosted by Keka, a leader in the HR tech space. The conclave, held at the prestigious Hotel Marriott in Ahmedabad, focused on the critical topic of HR’s role in securing a seat at the business table. The event brought together over 100 experts to share their knowledge and strategies for driving organizational success, fostering lively and productive discussions throughout the day.
The role and the importance of an efficient HR department are often downplayed in terms of the company’s success. While HRs constantly put their heart and soul into bringing the right talent into the organization and promoting a positive work culture, their efforts are often unnoticed.
This entire scenario witnessed a shift in narrative with the onset of the Great Resignation, where the organizations truly understood the value of a great company culture to retain their top talent. A happy workplace as a norm started gaining popularity, and the importance of the HR function came into sharp focus.
“When companies are realizing the importance of CHRO at the decision-making table we wanted the HR leaders to voice their thoughts on the need for HRs’ seat at the business table,” said a representative of Keka, explaining the idea behind the panel discussion.
Why HRs Deserve A Seat At The High Table?
Ashish Ghakrey, founder of HR Shapers started the panel discussion by asking, “Why should HRs be given a seat at the business table? Are the HRs someone who can bring value to the table?”
As the panelists started exploring the various ways HRs can help a business prosper, Ankit Dudhwewala, co-founder of Software Suggest pointed out that HR is one of the most important functions of an organization. The reason behind its lesser impact is its role being limited to payroll processing and other administrative tasks. He further stated that while the narrative that payroll and HR are two different aspects has been adopted globally, Indian organizations have still not accepted it. As the Indian industrial sector comes to terms with this fact, HRs will slowly shift towards empowering people. “The role of HRs will focus on coaching and mentoring employees and not processing their payrolls”, he further added.
“The main reason behind top talent resigning is the excessive mental stress they face in everyday work. The only solution to this is a happy, stress-free workplace and this can be achieved by making HRs a part of their strategy discussion,” stated Bhanukumar Parmar, Sr VP (HR) of Ultratech Cement Ltd.
What Do HRs Bring To The Table?
Top decision-makers have this constant question as they still doubt the role HRs can play in leveraging the business. “They are the most critical drivers to bring structural change in the organization. Also, to attract the right talent a constant assessment of the talent strategy is needed which is often spearheaded by them,” answers Dr. Pawan Alamchandani, HR Head of Vinculum Solutions.
Kshitiz Sachan, Lead Process Strategist at Keka answered the question and explained that great work starts with talented, happy employees and it’s the HRs who hire them and ensure the long-term revenue of a firm. “Well-supported, passionate employees do more productive work. To make this a reality, the aspirations of the individual should be aligned with the organization, which is another HR function. Every organization should cater to both its internal and external customers. HR professionals are the voice of the internal customers who are more essential to the success of an organization.” he said while sharing his insights.
How Can HRs Bring A Positive Change In The Organization?
A positive work environment leads to an increase in employee productivity, talent retention, and building a great brand image in the marketplace.
“HR professionals are critical to building a productive work culture. Employee engagement activities structured to analyze career trajectories and frame career progression plans. Company policies that provide a personalized experience to every employee, right from different demographics and geographies. Adopting an agile and flexible HR operating model that helps in building an inclusive work culture,” answered Bhanukumar.
“Technology can be an important asset to showcase the financial impact of the HR department. HR metrics and analytics are to develop reports highlighting the importance of people data in the success of an organization. Digitalization will also increase the accountability of performance management system and increase employee efficiency,” explained Kshitiz citing the importance of HR professionals taking up strategic roles.
How can HRs Reclaim their Strategic Position?
HR leaders should start thinking strategically instead of thinking from a purely administrative perspective. They must constantly upskill themselves with the latest technological skills and focus on building a synergy between the organization, the business, and the employees.
“An HR professional who knows both employment laws and HR functions along with rich knowledge of the industry, and how the business is operated deserves a seat at the table”, concluded the panelists.
The event ended with a vote of thanks by Dr. Nishath Afzal, Communications Manager at Keka.
Apart from the panel discussion, the conclave also featured a knowledge hub, where the attendees were provided access to educational material such as books, practical case studies, and real-life use cases related to the topic.
The attendees expressed their immense happiness and lauded the organizers for hosting the conference that helped them explore a whole new world filled with possibilities. They said they were excited, and are looking forward to attending more of such events.
Keeping in line with their mission to uplift HRs, Keka has been organizing conferences and conclaves featuring topics of strategic importance for the HR function. The previous conference, Keka HR Conclave Hyderabad Chapter was held at Hotel Trident in Hyderabad attracting a huge number of attendees. The next conclave, titled Keka HR Conclave Bangalore Chapter would be held in Bengaluru, on 1st February 2022.
