1. J.F.Kennedy once said, "The human mind is our fundamental resource". What is your take on this?

Totally true. We strongly believe in this. That is why Dr. Udai Pareek and I created the Human Resources Development Department 33 years ago in India and have been promoting the concept of the unlimited capabilities of people. Resource is meant to be used for the welfare of people and the society.

2. How does HRD Scorecard 2500 take further the issues discussed in HRD Audit?

It attempts to convert the results of the audit into scores and helps the organisations to bench-mark it with themselves and others. It also establishes definite standards for various systems and competencies required for promoting HRD. It attempts to quantify the impact of HRD on three important variables: intellectual capital; financial outcome and talent management. In the audit the grades assigned are limited to letter grades. Now there is more objectivity and uniformity. The 2500 points are assigned in total: 840 for HRD systems, 160 for HR strategies, 500 points for HR Competencies (of HR staff, line managers, top management and Non supervisory employees) and 500 points for organisational culture and values, and 500 points for HR Impact.

3. In the present dynamic and competitive business scenario, what are the viable techniques of Human Resource planning?

HR planning is not numbers. It is planning of competencies or talent. The most important aspect of this is identification of talent or competencies needed for a job and finding the right people. In addition once the recruitment takes place HR planning should include utilisation of competencies. This is done through planning of the time and utilisation of talent of the employees. Take attrition as given. You can not help it too much. You should try your best to reduce it by improving your internal climate. Manpower planning should focus on retention planning and replacement planning. Also it should focus on retention of intellectual capital even when employees leave.

4. How relevant is HRD Audit to the overall business process?

Extremely relevant. Most CEOs do are not realising the need for auditing their HR. They are running their corporations without refueling them. HRD audit is a self-renewal tool. It enhances business process. Research evidence is there towards this end. Prof. M. G. Jomon currently at XLRI found that HRD audit results in many organizational improvements if it is done as given in the book on HRD audit. The most important part of this is that the audit starts with an interview with the CEO and ends with a presentation to the CEO and his top management team. There is no option but to improve.

5. What is the significance of competency mapping in the era of multi-skilling?

Competency mapping is a system of mapping the competencies required to perform a job well. It is not mapping the competencies of individuals as it is understood by some. It is not to be mixed up with competency assessment. When you know the competencies required to perform job successfully multi-skilling efforts get reinforced as managers know what skills they need to make a success out of their job. So competency mapping helps multi-skilling where needed.

6. In what respect is "Employer branding" different from "Human Resource branding"?

If you have competent people, who can deliver reliable and quality service, through their engagement scores and motivation scores employer branding takes place. HR branding contributes employer branding. Research studies have indicated that good HR practices lead to enhanced share holder value. It is through good HR practices you make the organization a preferred place to work.

7. What are the best strategies for employee engagement in the retail sector where the attrition rate is high?

Continuous training, celebrations, teamwork, making the place of work a fun place to work at. Create good careers and use a lot of rewards and recognition mechanisms.

8. What is the basis for assessing ROI (Return on Investment) for various Human Resource policies and practices?

I have explained this in some detail in the chapter on HR Impact. I am coming up with a new formula that is explained in my forthcoming book on Hurconomics to measure the ROI. First we have to learn to measure the “I” part of ROI and then look for the “R” part. The ROI on HR is long term. You may be aware that the tangible assets of most new economy industries are less than 10% of their market value. In other words more than 90% of market value or market capitalization of a company is its intellectual capital. Talent, customer loyalty, human relations, teamwork, patents, intellectual property etc. constitute this 90%. HR contributes to this long-term asset building of a company. Once this is understood ROI estimates become easy. ROI should be measured in terms of the shareholder value and other long-term impact of HR than merely annual or quarterly financial results.

9. How does one evaluate the emotional intelligence of an employee?

There are fairly standard measures like self-control. Interpersonal competence, teamwork, social maturity etc. We have been using 360-degree feedback very successfully to measure emotional intelligence of managers for the last 20 years.

10. Books that have had a life-changing significance for you.

Not one but several. In school stories from The Ramayana and The Mahabharata- Hanumanji, Lord Krishna, Ghatokacha, Karna, Bhishma Pitamaha, Vidura etc. In college, books by Dale Carnegie and The New Testament. A number of psychology books I read (during my masters) on Sigmund Freud, Alfred Adler and Carl Jung. In the recent past, Robin Sharma’s books Leadership Wisdom from the Monk Who Sold His Ferrari and Who Will Cry When You Die and Fr. De Mello’s The Song of the Bird, The Prayer of the Frog etc. reinforced my thoughts on leadership and self-renewal.

11. Who has been an inspirational figure for you?

Ravi J Matthai and Udai Pareek, with whom I have been fortunate to work for long years in my formative years. I have drawn inspiration from several people including my friends and colleagues at IIM Ahmedabad and line managers and HR managers who implemented what we taught them in the class. Fr. E. Abraham of XLRI who was at one time doing his Ph.D. with me at IIM Ahmedabad was a great source of support in building the HRD Network and giving it a momentum. MRR Nair, who was Director HR and later the Chairman of SAIL, was another important person. My mother to whom, I have dedicated this book was a personification of hard work and initiative.

12. A word of advice for every HR practitioner.

Lift yourself up by thinking big, learning about your organization and its business, learning a lot through reading and self renewal using HRD Audit, assessment centers and 360 Degree feedback. These are great tools the HR profession has given. Use them for lifting yourself and others up, and not pulling them down. Shift jobs only when you have made a difference in the current organisation or when you feel you are not able to use your potential. Initiative is the most important quality needed to lift yourself up.

Dr. T. V. Rao is Chairman, T.V.Rao Learning Systems, a company dedicated to HR consultancy and behavioral systems, and an adjunct professor at IIM Ahmedabad. A pioneer in the field of HRD, he has designed and assisted the implementation of performance appraisal and other HRD systems for a number of organizations in India and abroad.

Share your views with us. Click here to write to us.

Rage, passion, inspiration and truth. That’s what a writer’s world is all about.
Click here to find out more about this one world of Salman Rushdie, Sidney Sheldon, Amitav Ghosh and others.

Interviewed by Dorothy Nandan & Ceiloni Sengupta
Designed by Subhadip Mukherjee Manequin Photo Courtesy: © FOTOCROMO