Hiring sites should be like dating websites or matrimonial portals

It can be a challenge being the head of HR for the world’s largest association dedicated to HR. Is it?

We have about three lakh members and infact that a good feeling that all of those three lakh want to get an advice on how to run HR!

My role is pretty critical as whatever decisions we take, we need to make sure that they make sense for our members, our profession.  Also, we are involved in research and we need to have best researchers, best conference planners and best publishers in the world.  So my occupation is my vacation.

What will be the impact of Donald Trump’s policy of tightening the visa rules and hiring more Americans?

The worst that is happening is that there will be much more protectionist measures coming up. As an HR manager, if you cannot source talent globally you have to look at sourcing talent locally. Yes, in beginning, while sourcing people locally, the people that you will hire won’t fit the job 100%, however, in other one or two years they will fit the profile.

How do we need to groom talent locally?

Grooming talent locally does not mean that they all need good college education. They all need less than 2 years of technical training. But hey! I am not saying don’t get your college degree (laughs!).

Companies need to do more internship programmes and partner with colleges and universities to source their talent locally. I see the protectionism rising in coming times. While America is latest example but countries such as France, Germany, Great Britain are also doing this.

Do you think hiring process is becoming obsolete?

The problem with hiring these days is we look at the experience on the resume but we never try to understand that what that person wanted to do. Hiring sites has to be liking dating websites or matrimonial portals. You need to know that person better and that candidate should know the company better. It is like finding a partner for yourself, you need to love your job.   

So, HR is a profession of match making?

Exactly. HRs are more like match makers. An employee spends around 10 hour of its day with his job. Having a right match is quite a satisfactory feeling.

What do you think about the debate on cost to company (CTCs) – where the idea is not to ask CTC during interviews rather offer CTCs as per the achievements, last job the candidate did and the profile of job seeker?

So, not asking CTC will be right if HR managers will use the technology such as artificial intelligence, big data, and machine learning in right manner. The technology can throw perspectives on the supply and demand for certain talent. Then, HR managers need to understand if their organisation is really looking for that position.

You see technology in HR as a boon, right?

Of course. The data results such as -- she likes to work in cites, she likes to be mobile, she likes to work in multi-national companies that deals with merchandising in manufacture – actually helps HR managers in finding needle out of haystack. We actually need to understand technology to perform better.

What will be usage of technology at macro level?

With technology, one can actually model who is out there in labour force and what skills are needed, which are the skills in short supplies and what skills have been abandoned. One can actually that what their competition is hiring. Artificial Intelligence also predicts the certain types of businesses in future.

What will be your C-suite’s vision for HR? What are the top five things that you would expect from a chief executive hiring?

The person must always tell the truth, embrace diversity, and make tough choices. Also, that person needs to treat everyone with dignity and respect apart from working together as a team.

He must act with a sense of urgency and enhance the reputation of others who deserve it. He must be a great professional in his profession. Also, he must know what his organization’s business is and how it works, and how to improve outcomes for your team and organization.

What are your thoughts on HR using social media in the workplace?

I encourage HR professionals to embrace social media as a tool. I also urge HR professionals to be conscious of the effects social media has on the workplace. There is the new immediacy of communications.

Social media has the potential to connect us in ways we never imagined.  As I said technology will play very important role in HR profession in coming days, HR is exploring how to better use the connectedness in recruiting, performance management, training and development through social media. SHRM is also committed to maximizing the potential of social media as a way to better engage with our members and other groups influencing the future of the profession.