HR Managers: Are They Really Worth the Investment? Share Your Thoughts and Examples

HR Managers: Are They a Waste of Money?

Do you agree with the above statement? Please justify with an example.

Absolutely correct. If you ask any question like, "What is the use of HR?" then the first immediate question that arises is how you are getting your monthly salary, how you are getting a salary hike, etc. When an accountant with good payroll software is enough for salary calculations, why should we require an HR person? When the appraisals are done by the production department itself, what is the use of an HR?

Thank you, Ms. (Cite Contribution), for providing the link to the article "HR as a Scapegoat," which is truly worth reading. I would like to clarify one thing, Nagbajjuri: we can participate in healthy discussions to enhance our knowledge, but we should avoid engaging in such arguments in the office. We should not even entertain the statements of those who claim that HR is a waste of money. Do they believe they are more intelligent than the management that hired them in the organization? The same management that hired that individual also hired the HR team.

Should we then start labeling other departments as wasteful expenses as well?

Therefore, we should refrain from getting involved in discussions initiated by thoughtless comments from certain individuals.

Dear Nagbajjuri,

Yes, HR is a waste of money when HR is controlled by management, when HR is seen as just an activity, and it is assumed that it doesn't have any contribution or cannot contribute towards the organizational mission, goal, and vision.

HR is, of course, a waste of money when they are not considered a strategic partner in business.

HR is a waste of money when companies and top management want it to act according to their whims and fancies and don't like HR interventions.

Remember one thing, humans or the employees are the most important part of any organization. Even though this is one asset that has a high level of change at any given point in time, retaining them is a very important and difficult task. A good company becomes a great company through its employees.

To help employees, HR needs to follow certain procedures and processes, and if any hindrance is caused to this process or procedure, then the entire purpose of having HR is defeated.

So, I believe HR is a waste of time in those companies where HR is not seen as a department but treated more like an orderly.

Believe me, to understand that HR is a waste of money, you need not be a rocket scientist. All one has to do is pay attention in their MBA lectures while pursuing an MBA. If one has not done an MBA, then one can anytime search on the internet for such information.

Regards,
Octavious

I think people who believe HR is a waste of money do not understand the importance of the HR department, what HR does, and why it operates as it does. Please let me know if you need any further assistance or information.

Thank you.
Regards.

You seem to be a frustrated person or have had a bad experience while working in the same role/position. The thing is, you need to understand the real meaning of an HR Manager and the concept of having a Manager for Human Resources. If an HR Manager is capable of performing their responsibilities effectively for the organization, then they are a valuable investment. If not, then they are indeed of little use.

The Role of an HR Manager in an Organization

The role of the Human Resource Manager is evolving with the changes in the competitive market environment and the recognition that Human Resource Management must play a more strategic role in the organization's success. Organizations that neglect the importance of attracting and retaining talent may face dire consequences, as their competitors may outperform them in utilizing their human resources strategically.

With increased competition, both locally and globally, organizations must become more adaptable, resilient, agile, and customer-focused to thrive. In this changing environment, HR professionals need to evolve into strategic partners, employee sponsors or advocates, and change mentors within the organization. To succeed, HR must be a business-driven function with a deep understanding of the organization's overall strategy and the ability to influence key decisions and policies. Today's HR Managers primarily focus on strategic personnel retention and talent development. They act as coaches, counselors, mentors, and succession planners to motivate and retain the organization's members. HR Managers also advocate for values, ethics, beliefs, and diversity management within their organizations.

This paper will highlight how an HR manager can tackle the challenges of workplace diversity, motivate employees through gain-sharing and executive information systems, and effectively plan, organize, lead, and control human resources.

In my opinion, HR Managers today may face difficulties due to the rapidly changing business landscape, and therefore, they must update their knowledge and skills according to the organization's needs and objectives. Some challenges in HRM include:

1. Managing the Vision: The organization's vision guides its business strategy and helps evaluate management practices.

2. Internal Environment: Creating a responsive environment, ensuring employee satisfaction, and maintaining culture and systems are challenging tasks.

3. Changing Industrial Relations: Harmonizing management philosophies for both workers and managers is a daunting task.

4. Building Organizational Capability: Ensuring employees are prepared for continual change even in adverse conditions.

5. Job Design & Organizational Structure: Understanding job roles, technology, and people involved in tasks is crucial.

6. Managing the Large Workforce: Managing a large workforce while respecting their rights poses challenges.

7. Psycho-Social Environment: Employee participation is essential for democratizing and humanizing institutions.

8. Employee Satisfaction: Motivating employees to satisfy their higher-level needs is crucial.

9. Modern Technology: Addressing potential unemployment due to technological advancements by assessing manpower needs.

10. Computerized Information System: Impacting managerial decision-making and organizational coordination.

11. Legal Environment: Adapting to legal changes for optimal human resources utilization.

12. Managing Human Relations: Balancing relations between educated and uneducated workforce.

In conclusion, despite the challenges, if HR Managers can overcome these obstacles with support from management and employees, they are a valuable investment for the organization. Managing employees in today's business world is increasingly complex and requires effective leadership from HR professionals.

I think people who believe HR is a waste of money do not understand the importance of the HR department, what HR does, and why it operates in the way it does.

Mr. Suhas, I agree with you. However, instead of simply stating this, one should emphasize the importance of HR managers so that others can grasp the true meaning and significance of HR.

Thanks

Octavious, I'm feeling very bad to know that you believe HR Managers are a waste of money.

You said, “HR is seen as just an activity and assumed that it doesn't have any contribution or cannot contribute towards organizational mission, goal, and vision.”

Dear, if you take Human Resource functions as just an activity, then I'm sorry you won't be able to see the actual work HR Managers are doing for their organization because if you haven't seen the right people and the contribution of HR Managers around you, you can't say that HR Managers are just wasting their time, and it is not true, I believe.

I have seen many successful people who have set an excellent example in this regard. We all know that in today's big, complex, and competitive world, HR Managers have to go through many challenges to overcome HRD problems, but it doesn't mean that they are a waste of money.

I'm not agreeing with your statement here. One more thing I want to say here is that you need to know that without Human Resource and Department, no single department can function properly. You need to study my “7 STARS of HR,” which you can find in my old posted threads by clicking on my name “Find all posts by anilkr.arora.”

Hope you won't take this personally as I'm just trying to tell you the importance of HRD and HRM in today's world.

Hi, I just answered you after reading your line, “HR is seen as just an activity and assumed that it doesn't have any contribution or cannot contribute towards organizational mission, goal, and vision.” That's it! And I don't need to research sarcasm and have done nothing like this.

All the HR managers have their own roles and responsibilities towards the organization. However, from an external perspective, these roles may appear similar. It is important to communicate directly with the person responsible for that particular role to obtain the most up-to-date information.

Regards,
Bharath Vinod

Certainly NOT.

The Advantages of HR in Any Organization

The advantages of HR in any organization are immense, and HR is regarded as the backbone of a company!

Hello everyone, thanks for the reply and for your precious contribution. First of all, I am not criticizing HRM. I am a postgraduate student in HRM from Wales University, UK. I know that without HRM, it is equivalent to making noise in front of Duff & Dum. However, I am seeking the perfect answer to the above question. Can anyone evaluate the statement with the best suitable example?

Thank you, everyone, and a special mention to CITE HR.

I absolutely disagree that HR managers are a waste of money. Consider how relationships will exist in society. It is essential to understand human perceptions to comprehend their attitudes. Despite this, the HR department takes actions, and HR managers successfully meet challenges and motivate employees to contribute to the organization's success.

I believe that HR managers are the backbone of organizational actions and play a vital role in creating a healthy environment and shaping knowledgeable employees.

Regards,
Jyothirmai.

Mr. Octavious, the same answer was expected from your side, and I told you earlier, please don't take it personally, but... well, you are still not getting my point about what I wanted to say here.

You know why I have used your statement, "Yes, HR is a waste of money when HR is controlled by management, when HR is seen as just an activity, and assumed that it doesn't have any contribution or cannot contribute towards organizational mission, goal, and vision," for my response in your complete post. I wanted to let you know that HR Managers are indeed contributing to achieving organizational missions, goals, and vision, or they are willing to do so, but they are doing their jobs accordingly.

First, Mr. Octavious, you have used HR instead of HR Manager here, please review your statement for this. We were discussing whether HR Managers are the real investment/money for the organization or not (Waste of Money), right? Your answers were all based on HR or HRD, but the main topic was whether the HR Managers are capable of establishing HR systems through their functions so that an organization can run smoothly/effectively to achieve the set mission, goals, and vision by the Organization, right?

Why haven't you made any comments on your other statement? Because I have never found anything wrong except your first statement.

HR Managers are doing their job, but the issue is that they are often constrained to do what Management wants them to do in many cases, but not completely. I agree with your statement, "HR is a waste of money when companies and top management want it to act as per their whims and fancies and don't like HR interventions."

A - You said, "HR is, of course, a waste of money when they are not considered as a strategic partner in business." Could you please explain this? What do you want from HRD, from our HR Managers in participating in making strategies, how to develop a business, or provide effective resources to other departments to function properly concerning the same, ACHIEVING THE GOALS, MISSION, AND VISION set by the organization? Why are you saying that HR is not considered as a strategic Business Partner? I don't think it falls under HR functions.

You have already mentioned, "Humans or the employees are the most important part of any organization. A good company becomes a great company through its employees," and I agree because Employees are the first resources that HR has to provide to all other departments to run an organization, and this falls under HR responsibilities. You were criticizing the whole Human Resource.

B - You said, "HR is a waste of time in those companies where HR is not seen as a department but treated more like an orderly." Yes, I agree, but my dear, you haven't noticed that I didn't say a single word about these statements because I agree with them and feel the same. Now, let me ask you one thing: do you really think that HR Managers are not doing their jobs or are not capable of creating a good system for running their organization smoothly?

I just wanted to say that it is incorrect to say that HR Managers are a waste of Money but they need to be more useful, effective towards the attainment of organizational goals and missions.

That's what I wanted to say here, and I hope I'm to the point and have made myself clear this time.

I suspect this was some sort of research question for a student. Instead of him/her doing the required research work, Cite members just gave the person the answer on a plate.

The Importance of Learning Fundamentals in HR

HR will always be a waste of money if students today do not learn the fundamentals in their studies and enter the workforce knowing how to do the work they are paid to do. There are so many so-called "HR professionals" on CiteHR, constantly asking how to do basic HR tasks. It just beggars belief how these untrained people get responsible jobs in a complex field like HR.

Impact of Incompetent HR Staff

During my career, I have had dealings with incompetent HR staff. It is those people that give HR a bad name and lead many other people to view that they are a waste of time, money, and space.

You have hit the bull's eye. I too suspected the same. Ideally, we should not answer such questions with direct answers, but instead, give them responses in a manner that forces them to research more on the topic. Alternatively, we should consider avoiding the post altogether. Under no circumstances should we resort to the free information methodology.

Regards,
Octavious

Hahaha... folks, you are not correct. If you think all the calculations are done by the system automatically, then you are incorrect. All system outputs are partial, and we HRs validate the output and normalize the payouts. If that is not the case, each and every entry in the system would have the same hike percentage irrespective of performance. Do you think this is happening in your organization?

We do follow the standards while assigning the hike rate based on performance and feedback from the immediate reporting officials. We consider numerous parameters. The automatic software only provides raw data, my dear friend.

Dear friends, forget about whether HR is a waste of money or not. Simply answer: what is the role of a father and mother in your life? You come across news that babies are abandoned and shifted to children's homes. What would have happened if our parents had taken the same liberty? Whether to maintain law and order, police are required. What would happen if the police were on strike? Are you sure that your children, on whom you are spending so much money, will take care of you in the future? What would happen if you are wealthy enough and you are asking them to learn in municipal schools?

We are not living in an ideal world where masters are capable of doing all tasks. Man, machine, material, and money are important ingredients in business. To take care of the machine, engineers are required; material is required for production; money is required for operation, and man is required to execute desired results. To take care of man, HR is a must.

So, think before making any statement that undermines any profession.

If you don't know the real meaning of an HR manager, then don't comment. You should know that HR Directors in India are receiving salaries in crores, and no company is willing to pay such a huge amount.

Hello Octavious!!

You are very vehement about your views on HR Managers. Quite obviously, you have had some bad experiences. I have dealt with men and material throughout my service career. I strongly believe that if you look after your men and material, nothing can prevent you from being successful. The functions of HR are manifold. Please do not look at it myopically as 'Payroll Management,' which, as someone aptly pointed out, can be admirably performed by an accountant with a simple computer and appropriate software. Yet, there are problems relating to this function. We humans are very clever, very innovative, and when we see an opportunity, we very conveniently discard our scruples—all for personal benefit. Simple manipulations can be carried out to deprive people of their dues. The HR manager is a guardian of the interests of workers.

In fact, the HR Manager can be likened to a mother in a family whose functions are the welfare of the family, as opposed to those of the father who brings in the daily bread. The father has his compulsions and external pressures and may be callous and demanding at home. After all, he has been at the receiving end all day while at work. Can't blame him. Yet, to keep the family intact and allocate available resources evenly, it is the mother who stands up for her children. And the father has to accept her commands. If he doesn't, the entire family suffers.

In any organization, the role of HR would encompass, amongst other functions:

1. Recruitment.
2. Training and Professional Development of individuals.
3. Welfare of Personnel. This has very wide-ranging concerns.
- Pay and Emoluments.
- Promotional Prospects.
- Leave.
- Relief.
- Health.
- Dealing with Labour Issues.
4. Dealing with problems of Unions.

So, HR Managers are meant to do far more than what can be expected from an accountant. They are the backbone of the organization. So, please don't scoff at them as inconsequential. I agree that if the owner of the company uses them as tools to exercise his dictatorial fancies, they can perform a negative role. But isn't that true of any functionary in any organization?!

Finally, I'd like to say that let not your past poor experiences cloud your future vision.

With warm regards to one and all.

Aye,
Colonel Gahlot
Proprietor, 'TRURECRUIT'
[Phone Number Removed For Privacy Reasons]

Hi friends, I went through the arguments and counter-arguments for and against the topic.

No role in an organization is a waste. Much depends on how the organization is harnessing the strengths of the role for the organization's growth.

Human Capital Management (HCM)

It is no longer HR, i.e., it is no longer Human Resource. In the latest context, we call it HCM, i.e., Human Capital Management. In other words, a human being is no longer a resource but should be treated like other capital-intensive investments such as machinery or equipment for enhancing the growth of the organization. Therefore, the HR department, which is involved in handling human capital from recruitment to retirement, cannot be brushed aside with a sweeping statement. I only presume that somebody has a lot of time to throw a spanner in the works and watch the tamasha brewing in the Cite HR!

If there is a difference of opinion about the effect or value or contribution of HR in a particular organization, then this matter should not be discussed, particularly on an HR-focused portal, as someone has mentioned above.

People who talk like that do not have any idea about the role of HR in an organization. Let not such people display their shallow knowledge in such a public domain!

It is like talking in a hospital, "Doctors are a waste!" Ask the guy to come and chat with me, who has spent 22 years in the field of HR out of 41 years of total work experience, and I will give him a run for his money! Hahahaha.

Regards, NK Sundaram

I do not agree with this statement. A nurse can give medicine or an injection to a patient, but why is a doctor required in a hospital? Can a nurse manage the hospital? Why are we appointing doctors? Why do we seek treatment from doctors? Because they can do the right diagnosis and treatment; their efficiency is more than a nurse's.

HR is like a doctor. An accountant can do HR work, but they can't implement HR practices and manage the workforce. Ask an accountant or production person to settle an employee dispute. They will never succeed because they do not have legal knowledge. HR is the driver of the organization; without a driver, we cannot run the vehicle. So, don't blame HR.

Anyone can do credit, debit, data entry, and salary calculation jobs, but managing the 5 M's is important, and it is not easy. Sometimes, an accountant is unable to manage 1 M (Money), and a production person is unable to manage 1 M (Machine). Just think about how HR can manage the 5 M's at one time. So, my dear, HR is required in an organization. They are a part of today's business.

Regards,
Krishna Naik

Let's keep it simple. People who were shown the door from their organization will always agree with the above-mentioned statement. It seems there are many in the loop. Let's not encourage this topic started by one such person. We will retain HR's value.

Cheers,
HR.

The question of judging HR arises when there is a system in place, so for that initial instance, HR is required.

Understanding the Role of HR

HR deals with minds, behaviors, culture, and attributes of individuals, so in any company, it is HR who knows the employee better than anyone else. Therefore, HR is required.

Anyone can take care of payroll, PMS, etc., but to do so accurately, you need an HR professional who understands the processes and procedures in line with the company and its employees. Thus, HR is required.

HR's Role in Employee Engagement

For planning perks and recognitions, recreational activities, ER, engagement activities, HR is required.

To ensure people adhere to policies and procedures, HR is necessary.

When joining a new company, HR has to provide your BGV regarding your conduct, hence HR is required.

There are many more reasons why HR is needed, but I will keep this text short.

Even to answer your funny questions, HR is necessary.

So, if you consider an organization as a human body, HR is like the spine, without which it cannot stand.

I hope you understand the importance of HR.

Regards

Hi everyone, this is a nice topic to discuss. As the line goes, HR managers are a waste of money. What do they mean by this? Do they think they are good enough to manage the department? Employees/human beings are the most important part of any organization. To overcome their problems, we need an HR department. HR is not to be seen as just a department; it's about managing relations. It is to motivate employees through gain or sharing and execute information through proper planning, organizing people, and leading and controlling their human resources.

As someone said, the Defense and Police forces are a waste to a nation, but ask them to imagine a nation without these two forces.

With Regards,
Rajiv John
[Phone Number Removed For Privacy Reasons]

I believe you have missed many functions in HRM and what their people do. Yes, in some areas, many HR managers are more than wasting money and are forming a real danger to the firm! On the other hand, many HR managers have been considered a precious piece and a key element of many organizations' existence.

Regards,

I think HR is a waste of money for an organization, and the whole HR function can be outsourced. This is because whether HR is in-house or outsourced, it acts only on behalf of the management.

Mr. Arora,

I believe you have missed many functions in HRM and what their people do. Yes, in some areas, many HR Managers are more than wasting money and forming a real danger to the firm! But on the other hand, many HR Managers have been considered as a precious piece and key element of many organizations' existence.

Regards,

Hey dear, it was a brief of HR functions. But if you really want to know about the complete details of all the HR Functions, then go to my old thread and find my "7 STARS of HR." I'm sure you'll get complete details.

Second, you said "forming a real danger to the firm!" Please explain with examples. I don't understand why people just look towards the negative things of HR Managers...

I do not agree with this statement. A nurse can give medicine or an injection to a patient, but why is a doctor required in a hospital? Can a nurse manage the hospital? Why are we appointing doctors? Why are we taking treatment from doctors? Because they can do the right diagnosis and treatment; their efficiency is more than a nurse's. So, HR is like a doctor. An account person can do HR work, but they can't implement HR practices and workforce management. Ask an account or production person to settle an employee dispute. They will never succeed because they do not have legal knowledge. HR is the driver of the organization; without a driver, we cannot run the vehicle. So, don't blame HR. Anyone can do credit, debit, data entry, or salary calculation jobs, but managing the 5 M's is important, and it is not easy work. Sometimes, an account person is unable to manage 1 M (Money), and a production person is unable to manage 1 M (Machine). Just think about how HR can manage the 5 M's at one time. So, my dear, HR is required in an organization. They are a part of today's business.

Regards,
Krishna Naik

In every organization, each department has its own role to fulfill. However, in most organizations, the HR department is often perceived as being responsible only for salary processing and completing other statutory norms.

I appreciate your effort in clarifying the role of HR in the organization. However, the question arises: why do only HR professionals have to clarify their contributions rather than their work profile?

Regards,
Dipen
HR Executive

I would say it is partly correct since the HR department is treated as an expense center. HR and admin in most organizations are treated as support functions that do not generate any revenues. Hence, management does treat us as "waste," but on the other hand, we generate human resources who bring revenue to the organizations. Recruitment, training, and development are areas where management has to shell out money rather than earn it, but they forget that in turn, they get polished resources.

Regards,
Priyanka.

Thanks, dear. But I was just saying here that HR Managers are doing their job, and it's not like the organization has done something wrong or, as the subject line is saying, "Waste of Money."

If HR managers are being controlled by management in many cases, it doesn't mean that HR Managers are not contributing towards the organization's goals, mission, and vision. HR is a part of the organization, and like every manager for every department in the organization, they are doing their job. One thing we must remember is that if management can play with HR managers, they can play with other managers responsible for other departments too.

There are numerous examples set by the HR Managers if we look properly in the market.

Here on this platform, CiteHR, there are numerous Managers, and I would say if one has no faith in their capabilities and skills and has no guts to prove this wrong—that HR Managers are just a waste of money—I don't think they can be a good or successful Manager in their life. I want examples and proof from everyone who still believes that HR managers are just a WASTE OF MONEY!!!

Regards

You are right, Dipen. As we are discussing HR Managers and some have raised many questions in this regard, it is important to let them know what HR Managers are doing, and it is our duty to prove them wrong.

I strongly believe that the person who was saying that HR Managers are a waste of money for the organization must not join this respective area of function because there is no respect for this function shown by such statements.

For example, if you are an HR Manager, you know better than anyone what you are doing and contributing to your organization. You cannot take part in making strategies to run an organization because you have a different work/functional area, and you have to do your work properly and efficiently towards the attainment of organizational goals.

But if you are an Owner of a company and are not satisfied with your HR Manager/People because you feel that HR Managers are just busy making salary calculations and doing nothing else, you cannot be satisfied with their work and have no respect for them, meaning you do not understand the real value and meaning of HR.

I want to ask you, why are you placing them in your company if you think they are just a waste of money for your organization? Just for providing manpower to run the organization and for compensation calculations for your employees, you want an individual department in your company as the Human Resource. Why are you making an investment in this regard then? There is no need to give them the name "Human Resource Department."

I can reply to all those who criticize or agree with the statement "HR Managers are a Waste of Money" privately, but I want all of you to know that this is not true. It is not based on perception but on an understanding of the work of an HR Manager and why organizations still have this department.

If one can run his/her organization/company without having any HR Manager, please let me know and prove me wrong.

I request you all to understand what I wanted to say to all of you there and respect the HR Managers and their work.

If someone still thinks that I am not right here, feel free to contact me, and I will prove them wrong.

It's my advice, please take some rest before criticizing a critical department by showing your frustration. Always think in a balanced way, as HR people are intermediaries between employees and management. Think positively.

O hello sir, please don't degrade other professions by saying an accounts person is unable to manage 1 M (Money) and a production person is unable to manage 1 M (Machine). Everyone knows the importance of accounts and production people; they are very respected people. Unlike HR, though it might hurt all HR people, the truth is no one respects HR out of love; all do it out of fear. And you say HR manages 5 M's at one time, come on, there is a limit to exaggeration, yaar.

Anyone can make statements of this sort. But before supporting these kinds of statements, we should understand that a visit to the HR department is unavoidable in the following cases:

1. When your salary account is not credited on time (the finance department is involved, but HR takes care of the routing!)
2. When your incentive is less than your colleague's incentive (even after you receive the same performance appraisal as your friend!)
3. When you have any doubts regarding PF, gratuity, and other schemes.
4. When your visa processing is taking a lot of time.

No other departments (finance, marketing, production, public relations...) would help you out in these situations. The contents in the list may sound unattractive. However, HR at a higher level involves bigger deals like OD, OC, T and D, Talent acquisition, etc.

Ponder over this for a while before making such statements, my friend.

No, not at all.

1) HR professionals are the bridges between management and others.
2) They are the arbiters to solve all conflicts.
3) They are tasked with finding proper, useful, and loyal staff members.
4) They are motivators to improve productivity, etc.

Of course, they also perform thankless jobs like watchdogs, often working behind the curtains. This may lead to the opinion that HR professionals are a waste of money.

Regards

Hi nagbajjuri, hope you are doing great. Total organizational success depends on HR. HR plays a vital role in the organization, and every department has its own importance. Therefore, we can't say it's a waste of money.

The person who thinks an HR Manager is a waste of money needs to understand the meaning of HR because anyone who thinks in that way is wasting their own potential in life.

If you have such a notion, then I think you are just a fresher or a newborn baby in this professional world. HR is the backbone of any industry and domain, and they work very closely with management as well as employees. If there were no HR, imagine the pathetic situation of employees and management. For employees, they look after their welfare, and for management, they utilize the maximum of the human asset! So, my dear friend, I request you not to make such statements on a public platform.

Regards,
AMIT SHIVAM
HR Manager

Hi Octavious,

Firstly, let me apologize if I riled you any further than you already were. I did see a clear streak of sarcasm in your post but decided against seeing it as such for the following reasons:

1. Sarcasm, by implication, is forbidden on this forum!
2. Sarcasm achieves NOTHING!! It is the Achilles' Heel of communication!!

You are training to be an HR professional and might well take note that you may say much but convey nothing. Ours was meant to be a positive discussion. Firing it up with sarcasm has set fire to it at both ends. Actually, 90% of people will miss points made in sarcasm. Not everyone is that clever, you see. And yet you have to deal with such people every day. Hence, if you wish to communicate successfully, it is best avoided.

But I'm glad that you agree that HR Managers are an essential part of an organization. They really are the backbone.

I also think it is time to correct the direction this discussion has taken. My appeal to all members is that, please don't get emotional about the discussion and various points raised by members. Don't just agree or disagree. Contribute if you can. Else read, imbibe, and leave it at that.

And finally, Octavious, 'No hard feelings'.

Warm regards,
Colonel Gahlot

No, I don't agree with this. How do you think organizational activities can be executed efficiently without HR managers? Without them, it is possible, but the expected work won't be done with diligence and quality. Will you compromise on quality just for plenty of other reasons? Of course, no one will.

P.S: I might have sounded rude in this message because what you said was not an acceptable point. Anyway, sorry if I was rude.

- Saranya

Mr. Cyril Sunil, you say HR activity can be outsourced. Do you mean that such HR activities will be carried out by lawyers or doctors? Whether the activity is carried out in-house or outsourced, it needs to be handled by HR professionals who specialize in that segment of business. Then why do so many business schools exist? You could recommend to the government to shut down the HR line itself. Let's encourage meaningful discussions instead of just joining the conversation for the sake of it, or to see our names in print!

Regards,
NK Sundaram

Please stop discussing whether sarcasm is appropriate and concentrate on the topic. We can argue all day and get nowhere regarding if "sarcasm" can be understood by everyone and if it's appropriate to use it. Ultimately, it's up to the person to decide whether to use it or not. Judging by what I read of Octavius's first post, I don't think he meant any harm and was definitely pointing out that HR should be considered an asset to the company.

Regards,
CHR

The Value of Human Resources

The greatest resource is the 'Human Resource,' and the person who manages it efficiently determines the fate of every organization. That remarkable person is the "HR."

Agree, friends?

In India, most companies don't embrace the concept of HR. The owners and management often don't believe in the value of HR, treating it as a puppet controlled by them. Very few large companies may be exceptions to this situation in India. The concept of HR here is not very mature. In magazines and articles, HR is often portrayed in a grandiose manner, but practically, this is not the case in India, except for a few organizations like TATA and similar ones.