An Overwhelming Number of Indian Leaders Take HR Seriously

I read a great article in the March 2010 Harvard Business Review. According to their research, twice as many Indian leaders as U.S. leaders think that human capital drives business success. Among the Indian firms they studied, 81% of the heads of HR reported that employee training and development was essential to building competitive organizational capabilities, whereas according to a survey by the American Society for Training and Development, only 4% of U.S. Chief Learning Officers head that view of their own operations.
Their research demonstrates that they place an intentional focus on employee motivation by:

• Creating a sense of mission;
• Engaging through transparency and accountability;
• Empowering through communication; and
• Investing in training.

According to its authors, creating a real sense of social mission, whereby employees can feel that their work has impact, is a harder but achievable goal as is becoming a role model for employees. They believe Western leaders would do well to understand the managerial approaches that have fueled the rise of India’s largest companies, and mindfully adapt to them. To read the article in its entirety, click here

~Kathy Albarado