HRNV-Dec-2019

HR NEWS & VIEWS

DECEMBER | 2019

Creating Synergy in HR
is critical

LEADERSHIP
HR INTERNATIONAL
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CREATING SYNERGY

within human resources

Human Resources has evolved as an
important critical function across organization.
With this evolution also comes across the
functionalization or segmentation of sub
functions with the time of specialists coming
in place of generalists in workplace.

HOW IS IT IMPACTING THE CUSTOMERS ?
a quick study of pros and cons of the evolved

system…

The Evolution Cycle …

HR HR
Generalist Specialists

Personnel /
Admin / HR

It has lead in creation of multiple sub
functions within HR and that all consolidate
into a Leading role of the function.

Today’s HR …

HR

Hiring Business Training HR HR
Partner Strategic Operation

s

Complete HR Skill Compensa Transactio
Talent Business developme tion & nal
connect Benefits
acquisition Employee nt and Employee
Engageme organizatio Internal Life Cycle
Communic managem
nt nal
building ations ent
HR

Projects

Brings in greater depth today in respect to
the individual subject matters and
experience.

How it operates …

• Each sub-function is driven by individual
goals and objectives

• Performance linked to goals make each
sub-function aggressive enough to strive for
higher benchmarks

• String internal competitiveness to prove it’s
worth

• Operating in individual silos

Do we often face a issue in synergy amongst
these teams ?

How is Customer impacted …

• HR needs to think from representing a
larger team to Business (Customers)

• Customers strives to get a complete
information at one place

• Either it is half baked information or no
information

• Evidently visible that each sub function is
not linked / connected with other sub-
function

Customer occasionally keeps struggling to
find out where does the ownership lies ?

Key Challenge for Head HR …

• How does all the sub-functions talks the
same language

• How does the end customer get a one point
window for HR

• How does the expertise and knowledge of
each sub-functions gets consolidated
together to strengthen HR group

• How can the response time be cut down

Customer needs speed, accuracy and
efficiency and the evolved HR model which is

one of the good models compared to
traditional approach has to enhance it’s
operational methodology to achieve this …

LEADERSHIP

SURESH MUCHIPALLI
HEAD - HR

METRO LINK EXPRESS
(MEGA) CO. LTD.



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HR

Paul Strange INTERNATIONAL
HR Consultant EUROPE HR

TESLA’S NEW GIGA-FACTORY GOES Building batteries on site gives Tesla
TO GERMANY an advantage over other
manufacturers. They are buying car
Electric car maker Tesla is to build a batteries from specialist suppliers
new giga-factory in Germany, near such as LG Chem who have Europe’s
Berlin. It will be there fourth major largest battery plant in Poland.
manufacturing facility after two in the
US, and a newly opened factory in Any thoughts that this new car
Shanghai. The company announced factory might employ thousands of
that this factory would be operational people as most big car factories have
in 2021 and that it would build its in the past are misleading. Reports
popular Model 3 saloon car. No from North America indicate there
production or employment figures are significant changes to the
have been announced, but the workforce needed in a factory making
Shanghai factory is producing car electric cars.
batteries and 250,000 electric
cars per year for the vast Chinese
market.

UBS analysts there say that electric vehicles require less labour in the
manufacturing process. The vehicles' simplicity means they require
significantly less manpower to make and assemble. One vehicle had 80
percent fewer moving parts than comparable fuel engine vehicles. Their
production is simpler and the parts they do use are now often made outside
North America. Ford introduced its new Mustang model in November – an all-
electric SUV made in Mexico. Ford executives told investors that electric
vehicles could reduce the company's work hours per car by 30 percent when
compared with their plants making petrol driven vehicles. Also, the typical
skill set needed in a car worker will change as they become programmers of
automated equipment rather than hands-on assemblers. In North America,
they are also importing a key component – the battery – from Europe and
Asia. Ford import batteries for the new Mustang from the LG Chem plant in
Poland.

Electric vehicles only make up about 2 percent of the market globally, though
this is growing significantly. The manufacturing method is significantly less
labour intensive that petrol driven vehicles, and higher skilled.

FREE' TICKETS FOR TRAIN WORKERS IS COSTING A FORTUNE

One of the most extraordinary employee benefits I have heard of comes from
the rail industry. When I worked briefly in this industry, all employees were
given free passes for themselves and their families.
In France too, employees receive free or discounted tickets for themselves
and their extended families. The parents and grandparents of rail workers and
their partners also have a limited number of free or reduced seats. More
surprising is that these benefits extend to retired workers also, meaning it is a
benefit for life. France’s national rail operator SNCF spends €220 million per
year on employee related tickets according to the country’s state auditor.
Despite regular calls for the advantage to be scaled back, its cost has risen by
20 per cent since 2011. Current SNCF employees only accounted for 35 per
cent of the total cost, with family members and retirees making up the
remainder. In the UK, approximately 10,000 current and former staff,
together with 20,000 dependants, are entitled to free rail travel for life.
President Emmanuel Macron has pledged to reform the country’s retirement
system, and its rail network. Last year, SNCF was detached from direct state
control and given more autonomy. The government will phase out SNCF’s
domestic passenger monopoly from 2020 and put an end to generous benefits
and pensions for future employees. Currently, SNCF has a debt of €47 million.

Yes, I know. The same benefit is provided to rail workers in India. It is still
extraordinary.

EQUAL PAY IN EUROPE

Equal pay for equal work is one of the European Union’s founding principles.
EU countries have translated this principle into national laws and by imposing
reporting requirements on employers to declare the gap between male and
female employees. Presently, the equal pay gap (the average gross hourly
earnings of men and women expressed as a percentage of the average gross
hourly earnings of men) in the EU is around 16%.

There is evidence that this principle is influencing employment policy in a new
report which enables comparison with the USA. Littler’s 2019 European
Employer Survey found that 85% of organisations were taking steps to address
the gender pay gap and equal pay, up from 80% in 2018. This was compared
to Littler’s US survey, where only 63% of respondents were taking action on
pay equity. The best improvement came in increased training and professional
development to support the advancement of female and minority employees,
which last year stood at 21% and this year 33%. Only 9% of US respondents
had improved in this regard.

The report’s authors noted that “(European) employers appear to be taking
actions beyond those required by law, perhaps driven by a desire to protect
themselves from liability, negative publicity, worker actions and other risks”.

The reasons for unequal pay between men and women fall into three
categories. Firstly, there are many areas of work largely segregated in terms
of gender – jobs which are mostly occupied by women, and others mostly
occupied by men. This segregation of work is by gender encourages different
standards in selection and pay. Secondly, there is stereotyping – the concept
that some jobs are associated with gender stereotypes. Women are nurses
and men are fire-fighters are examples. This is our broader culture influencing
our impression of the job holder. It influences young people in education
subject and career selection and the pay for those jobs. Women often work in
lower valued and lower paid sectors of the economy. Thirdly is work-life
balance. Far more women than men choose to take parental leave.

This, together with a lack of childcare facilities, means that women are
often forced to leave the labour market. Only 65.8% of women with young
children in the EU are working, compared with 89.1% of men.

THE RULES AROUND DATING COLLEAGUES IN FRANCE

The story that Steve Easterbrook – CEO of fast food chain McDonalds – was
fired in November for a workplace romance with a subordinate that broke
company rules has made me think about France. In France, workplace
romances are tolerated. Indeed, many French presidents have had affairs
which have not affected their political reputation.

France takes a slightly more relaxed view on this issue than many other
countries. There is nothing in employment law that prevents you forming a
relationship with a colleague. In fact, France goes one step further and has
enshrined in its Labour Code that your private and emotional life is none of
your employer's business. Article L1121-1 of the Labour Code, forbids any
discrimination based on family or romantic status.

So McDonalds’ employees in France have some protection and can date
colleagues despite company rules.

UPDATES

TCS becomes first Tata entity to extend medical cover benefits to LGBT employees
IT major Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), has taken a major step towards inclusion by tweaking
its health insurance policy to cover employees involved in a same-sex relationship. It would
perhaps be the first Tata Group company to do so.
In an email update to its employees, TCS announced the new changes which will benefit LGBT
(lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) employees. The new policy redefines 'spouse' as 'partner',
thereby broadening the scope to cover same-sex partners.
TCS global diversity head Preeti D'mello told an English Daily that the new policy was formalized
last week. The definition of spouse will now include same-sex partners irrespective of their
marital status.
Under the new policy, up to 50% of the cost of sex/gender reassignment surgery (up to a
maximum of Rs 2 lakh) will be covered by insurance.
When it comes to promoting LGBT+ inclusion in the workplace, employee benefits is one area
that provokes a lot of debate. It is important to ensure LGBT+ employees' partners are treated
equally as family members and beneficiaries in medical, insurance, relocation and relevant leave
policies.
Besides being fair, it also makes for a better business case for organizations. Some forward
thinking companies have already extended medical cover/family health insurance cover to same-
sex partners such as RBS India, Citibank, Capgemini India, among others. As per a report
launched by Boston Consulting Group and Open for Business on LGBTQ hiring across fast-
growing companies in emerging markets, LGBT+ inclusive companies have significantly more
revenue come from international sources without suffering any negative revenue impacts. This
has an important implication for emerging market firms looking to globalize: In order to appeal
to a global audience, they have to be LGBT+ inclusive. Source :peoplematters

Paytm ropes in ex-Accenture HR Head Rohit Thakur as CHRO
Rohit Thakur, who recently moved out from his role of as Head of Human Resources at
Accenture India has joined Paytm as its new CHRO. Rohit transitioned out of Accenture India
earlier this month and has moved into his new role at the fintech player. As the Group CHRO,
Rohit will spearhead all the HR aspects as Paytm pursues its growth and expansion agenda. At
Accenture, Rohit was succeeded by Lakshmi C, the India HR service delivery lead responsible for
recruiting, learning, HR Tech and process team. Rohit is a seasoned HR professional who has
over 26 years of experience across industries and in top companies such as Microsoft, GE, Eicher,
Cadence Design Systems, etc. Before joining Accenture, he was working as the Head of Human
Resources at Microsoft India. His experience is very diverse and varies across industries/sectors
like Technology, Consumer, and Energy. It is this vast experience that the payments player will be
hoping to leverage. Recently, the company has overhauled its management team with new
appointments and internal promotions. In October, this year Paytm appointed Kinjal Chaudhary
as the SVP-HR and head of operations for the new Paytm services business. Similarly, Madhur
Deora who was working as the CFO for Paytm was elevated to head the all the company’s
consumer services businesses in a newly created role of President.
Former Infosys CEO joins Oracle’s board
Former Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka, has been nominated to the board of directors of Oracle. Sikka
has also recently launched his AI start-up Vianai Systems and happens to be a leading expert in
the field of AI and Machine Learning. In his new role as a member of the board, Sikka will be
guiding Oracle develop its business value in a fast-changing technological environment.
“Vishal is one of the world’s leading experts in AI and Machine Learning,” said Larry Ellison, CTO
and Chairman, Oracle. “His expertise and experience makes him ideally suited to provide
strategic vision and expert advice to Oracle and its customers.” Prior to launching Vianai, Sikka
was also a leading top executive at SAP and the CEO of Infosys. “Vishal clearly understands how
Oracle’s Gen2 Cloud Infrastructure, Autonomous Database, and Applications come together in
the Oracle Cloud to help our customers drive business value and adapt to change,” said Safra
Catz, CEO, Oracle said. Sikka said that Oracle’s positioning in the market in terms of its
applications and infrastructure ensures that by leveraging the right kind of new technologies, the
company will be poised for growth in the future of work. Source : peoplematters

Royal Bank Of Scotland Head HR Anuranjita Kumar quits
Anuranjita Kumar, MD & Head of HR – International Hubs, at The Royal Bank Of Scotland has quit
from her position at the UK bank. Her exit comes almost two years after she joined the bank in
September 2017 after a 22-year stint at Citi. At RBS, she led a variety of initiatives, especially in
the D&I space including a medical cover for LGBT couples and forming an industry cohort for
improved growth prospects for women in the technology space through the ‘Women In Tech
Forum’ amongst others. At Citi, she was leading as Managing Director & Chief Human Resources
Officer, South Asia since 2012. Kumar, an alumnus of XLRI started her career with Procter &
Gamble in 1994, post which she joined Citibank in 1995. At Citi, she has worked across
geographies —the US, Middle East, Africa, Europe and South Asia before joining RBS in 2017.
Anuranjita was the first South Asian and woman leader to be appointed as Head of HR, Global
Banking EMEA In 2007. Also, she was the first woman management committee member at Citi
India. For her excellent contribution in the field of HR, she was honoured as ‘Most Powerful HR
Professionals of India', by the World HRD Congress in 2012 and amongst the ‘Most Powerful
Woman Leaders' by Fortune in 2013. Source : peoplematters
Women exceed 25% of board seats on S&P 500 for the first time
Women hold more than a quarter of board seats among the biggest companies for the first time,
an analysis by executive recruiter Spencer Stuart found. A record number of women of all races
and non-white men joined boards at S&P 500 companies in the last year. Among new directors,
46% were female and 23% were minorities. Women of colour made up 10% of new board
members. Combined, women and minority men hold 59% of new seats, and all boards have at
least one woman, as of this summer. This year, a record 432 seats changed hands, opening up
more spots than ever for new, diverse candidates. Turnover is the biggest impediment to adding
more women and people of colour to boards. Directors most often leave because they are at or
approaching a mandatory retirement age, and only about 15% of current board members will
reach that point in the next three years, Spencer Stuart found. Source : Livemint
IT job market ‘changing’, employers looking for 'adaptability': Survey
Corporate India's hiring intention for IT professionals for the next two quarters shows a dip of 5
percentage points from what it was in the last six months, as demand for talent with new skill
sets for the future is reshaping the tech job market, says a report. According to the Experis IT
Employment Outlook Survey (EITEOS), the overall IT hiring intention of Indian employers for the
period between October 2019–March 2020 stood at 47.54 per cent, down from 53.41 per cent in
the last six months. "The entire landscape of the world of work is changing. Employers are
looking for adaptability, critical thinking and leadership skills apart from technical skills. From the
talent's perspectives, candidates are interested in making work, work for them," Manmeet Singh,
President at Experis IT, ManpowerGroup India said. Source : Livemint





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