People and Management January 2019 | Page 5

from the publisher’s desk It gives immense pleasure to present the People and Management HR Extravaganza 2018 post event edition. It’s been an eventful year for HR-related issues hitting the headlines. We revisit each month’s most notable happenings. Today more people are looking to change jobs every few years for different opportunities, challenges or simply more money. While these movements can mean a steady wage increase and better career prospects for the employee, for an employer it can result in higher staff turnover, costs of recruitment and possibly unrest among those who choose to stay. In this edition we present an exclusive coverage of notable movements in the industry in 2018 and few that are already announced but scheduled in 2019. With the concept of ‘a job for life’ no longer expected, or often even sought after, does this make the long service award redundant? From an HR perspective, it is tough to constantly compete on the monetary or tangible front because resources are limited. However, if you are able to position yourself effectively with the right story to amplify the message, you can easily gain an edge in the talent market. The emotional connection can be way more powerful than you ever imagine. Community building and partnerships help grow your competencies. We see many HR conferences taking place. Plenty of active HR communities both online and offl ine. Numerous HR networking events and fellowship sessions to allow like- minded professionals to mingle and exchange thoughts; for the very reason that there is a need for the HR community to look beyond their existing organization and learn from the market. While HR has always complained about not having a seat at the table, I’ll urge all HR professionals to think of how you can better equip yourselves to be respected by business leaders. Give them no reason to ignore you and become more indispensable as the days go on. While we are not expecting HR to become the ones championing technology, it is imperative for professionals in this space to be adequately familiar with and capable of working alongside it. When that happens, technology becomes a true ally rather than a threat that many may perceive at present. Adopt an open, agile mindset when dealing with the changing workforce. One of the key challenges that I’ve heard frequently is dealing with the changing workforce mix and in particular, handling the millennial generation. This group of employees appear to be a misfi t, often doing things very differently and perhaps, being perceived by many as not being the best employees that you are used to hiring. The question then is, is that really the case? Understanding that workforce dynamics is changing and putting in place new ways to better attract and engage talent will be the key to a highly mobile and competitive talent landscape. Only through constant experimentation, communication and having an agile approach will the HR professional be able to help the organization adapt in today’s fast-changing business environment. Tell your story to build engagement and advocacy in the market. My thoughts The above elements are neither new nor is it rocket science. Sometimes, what it takes is a simple reminder and taking a step back to have a neutral view on things. By seeing things without a tinted HR lens, you will be surprised by the realization that can be derived from the refl ection. We must keep refl ecting on what has got us to where we are today, and keep growing in experience and ability. With a blink of an eye, we are down to the fi nal days of 2018. It was a productive year, to say the least, and one that has brought plenty of learning and refl ections. The HR space hasn’t transformed dramatically over the past year, but there are things that have shown great potential to shift the needle in 2019 those will be important to take note of moving forward. I wish all of you a fruitful and productive 2019 ahead. Happy Reading!! Linda Brady Hawke Publisher Vol. 10 Issue 1 • JANUARY 2019, Noida | 5