I completely agree that we must ( each one of us as HR professionals) step back and reflect on what we stand for. It is more important for us as we deal with people, not tools, not machines, not equipment or material. People have to be treated fairly and with respect and dignity. Where that is absent, the organization has no soul.

At the end of the day if in the business scheme of things, and hyperconnected literally virtual competitive world, the axe fall on the variable‘factor’ of production process-the worker! However, you know this time the Technology is different and that doesn’t differentiate the hierarchical levels!!!!

Thanks again for taking me in future out of the past!!

Best wishes as always

Dr R C Datta

As highlighted by you, Sir, Indeed, there is no substitute for a meaningful and open conversation.

Thanks for sharing

It communicates your wisdom gained thru the wonderful work you have done and continue doing
The Five steps/stages are very well presented
Often, IR goes thru the “Product Life cycle’ like phases. Yes, there always are choices to be made
I trust all will draw inspiration from this speech
As always, I keep learning from each of your blogs 🙏

On the subject of IR, I speak from my experience of it for 16 years in Guyana and India and then a cumulative experience, now, of 40 years in consulting on 3 continents – invariably all problems start with greedy, corrupt management. Then the conflict gets leveraged by politicians and the rest is history. Eventually the business shuts down and the only people who suffer are workers.

I believe that fairness and justice must be inculcated first. Legislation can support it and must, but when it is not inculcated, then any legislation is easily bypassed by means of greasy palms and brown paper envelopes stuffed with negotiable paper. That is what happens in our country.

The incident you mentioned about the management distributing Diwali sweets and shutting the factory down under the guise of stock taking, is despicable and a great illustration of the result of the absence of the sense of justice and fairness. Utterly shameful.

Sorry to say, in my experience, HR (so-called) Professionals are hand in glove for unscrupulous managements, indeed devising such disgusting schemes to suck up to bosses and/or line their own nests. In my view Line Managers must learn to deal with their workers and HR should be abolished. I have never seen a more useless function than HR.

Workers and humans. Humans are not a ‘resource’ like coal or oil or steel. They are people, like you and I. They feel sad, glad, mad like you and I. They have hopes and aspirations like you and I. A job for them, is not simply a paycheck at the end of the month. It is prestige, security, comfort, reliance, friendship, camaraderie with their colleagues, social position, self esteem, and the purpose of their lives. Take that away and you almost pass a death sentence. I don’t say that we should never dismiss anyone, but at least don’t give them Diwali sweets and shut the gates like thieves.

My apologies for this long post. Your article brought back many memories.

You are candid, clear and original, as always.
I was not present to hear you in person, but going through your speech was a pure pleasure. I ditto as already mentioned that this is nothing short of a treatise on ‘Framework for Good Industrial/Employee Relations – belief and practice’
Keep writing and educating persons like me.