Human resource managers play a key role in Indian economy

Human resource managers in India aim to find and motivate talented workers to help companies succeed in business. These professionals, also called HR or personnel managers, take charge of corporate staffing policies and operations, from recruitment to hiring to termination. Human resource careers span diverse industries across the economy, such as business process outsourcing, telecommunications and information technology.

HR managers coordinate a company’s staff to make the most of employee skills, and they generally serve as advisers on organizational policies and labour laws. Personnel administrators supervise employee relations and function as a liaison between a company’s management and its workers. These managers may handle staffing problems and disputes, or they may delegate tasks to human resources specialists in their organization.

What training is available in human resource management?

At the undergraduate level, human resource management classes often fall within a business major, although some bachelor’s degrees in business offer a concentration in human resources. Basic business coursework may cover accounting, finance and economics, and a strong background in mathematics can be helpful in working with payroll and compensation. Human resources specialists can benefit from classes that develop communication and interpersonal skills, ranging from English composition to the social sciences. Also useful are computer studies to build skills with software applications for word processing, spreadsheet calculations and performance reviews.

Academic programs for human resource managers may cover topics such as the following:

1. Managerial economics
2. Organisational behaviour and psychology
3. Principles and practices of personnel management
4. Industrial relations and labour laws
5. Employee development and training
6. Use of IT in training and human resources

Post-graduate studies in human resource management include master’s and doctoral degree programmes, as well as certificates or diplomas. The National Institute of Personnel Management (NIPM) is focused on industrial relations and labour welfare in India, and it offers the NIPM post-graduate diploma in personnel management. The NIPM programme covers core subjects such as the development of human resources as well as emerging areas like e-business.

The National HRD Network, an association of Indian human resource professionals, has established the Academy of Human Resources Development, which offers long-term distance education and short-term training programmes. The academy has launched a doctoral-level programme for human resource studies.

Unique elements of the human resources field in India

Human resource management in India dates back about 4,000 years to the Arlhãshastra, considered the world’s first book on management. According to a research paper published on the Curtin University of Technology website, this text dealt with government, administration, trade, commerce and personnel practices in Ancient India.

A career in human resources can require a broad knowledge of society and the law. The Society for Human Resource Management offers information on human resource practices particular to India. An SHRM presentation about India outlines some of the national policies that managers need to be familiar with, such as the 1995 Persons With Disabilities Act. Human resources departments in India must also address linguistic and cultural diversity; the Constitution of India currently recognizes 22 languages, with Hindi and English as the official languages. Business process outsourcing is a key economic sector in India, and human resource specialists in this area may need to understand the laws of different countries.

Career opportunities in human resource management

Positions in human resource management vary according to the size and type of an organization. Small or medium-size businesses may have an office manager who handles all personnel concerns. HR managers in corporations might oversee large departments in addition to planning strategy, tracking expenses and monitoring worker productivity.

Careers in this broad field may also focus on financial matters — including compensation and benefits — or the interpersonal side of staffing operations, including conflict resolution. Another specialised aspect of the field has to do with legal compliance. Technology specialists in human resources departments may target the use of social media for recruitment or the principles of online instructional design for training.