Lest we forget, the first word is the pivotal lynchpin in this entire setup. Human Resources. We tend to end up focusing more on the resource management aspect. Creating structures, processes, frameworks and complicated diagrammatical interpretations of our schematics and making it more out of touch with the human element.
In general, and unfortunately, HR is viewed by more people than one would expect, as a job provider. One often hears, “Ah, you’re in HR, any jobs available? HR = Jobs. Simple.
HR practitioners, on the other hand, create fanciful cross pollinating, cross platform constructs that create more confusion than solutions. Are we trying to justify our jobs? Why is the focus not on the human aspect and trying to create ease-of-use models rather than complex ones?
In this day and age, where degrees, certifications, credentials etc. are the norm of the day, what we seem to have forgotten is the fact that HR consists of two words. “Human” being the fundamental one. What has the world come to when these “certifications” take precedence over being “human” when dealing with this critical resource. Is professional certification so sought after that we do not even want to investigate the human element in the potential candidates? In the performance evaluations? In the promotion criteria? In handling them with emotional intelligence, empathy and a pinch of humanity? After all, they teach doctors to have good bedside manners. What about HR folk?
In my years in this incredible field I have come across, far too often unfortunately, HR professionals who had the credentials / certifications etc. but virtually no human skills. Communication, empathy, dealing / interacting with other human beings etc. Rude, curt, abrupt, disliked across hierarchical divides, and, promoted. Now I do understand the difference between disliked due to hard decisions HR professionals need to make and disliked due to the dearth of human skills. These were cases involving the latter.
HR should strive to look at a long-term human- centered strategy. Employing a collaborative approach engaging the entire business & its people – a human vision instead of getting stuck in what I call “administrative quicksand”.
HR needs a revamp. A makeover of sorts. A PR push to create awareness of its potential. Of its myriad verticals. A human tilt. Simplify it. Connect to people at a base level, not via complex elaborate structures that mesh with the other tortuous grids that are constantly being worked on to put into place as yet another level / layer of torture.
The key? Talking to people about their wellbeing, their desires and hopes, their expectations, their dreams. Not pushing complicated AI based algorithms with integrated & interconnected frameworks that are based on omnichannel backups onto them.
Getting back to basics should be the holy grail of HR. The rest is just a means to this end.
OPINION PIECE: Uzair Hassan 3hSolutions Dubai
