This is a question that we have asked many of our potential HRO clients over the last 2 years. The response has varied from a firm 'NO' to an unsure 'Yes, we think so'. We came to realize early on that HR is still such a vague 'concept' in many organizations that for them, planning for HR 2.0 is akin to the Wright Brothers planning to build a Concord even before their first flight in a glider from Kitty Hawk.
HR is even today, for many organizations globally, a support function and not a strategic one. But it is all changing gradually and inevitably as the 'War for Obtaining, Retaining & Developing Talent' (W.O.R.D) has gone from mere rhetoric in Management books to stark reality in today's times. Yes, even in these economically challenging times, with Pink Slips raining unabated, the W.O.R.D is very much on. In the present scenario, organizations obviously want to cut costs, but yet want to retain that core group of professionals that will help them maintain a reasonable degree of competitive advantage, and more importantly help them bounce back quickly at the first signs of economic recovery.
Hence, for example, we at Tvarita follow a well thought out, immaculately designed and diligently implemented HRO policy for all our clients. Its a three stage process, with each stage taking variable amounts of time depending on the organization design, size, growth plans etc. These time frames are usually decided in conjunction with the Leadership Team of the respective Organizations.
Tvarita's Fundamental Approach
However, our approach is not the real objective of the article, its about discussing with the reader what constitutes HR 2.0. As with any new thought process, HR 2.0 too has its fair share of real and imagined ambiguity, with some professionals connecting it to the usage of Web 2.0 technology and some to more vigorous, seamless and far reaching HR processes.
Then there are some (like us) who think it to be an amalgamation of both of the above. The reasoning is simple: any new thought process in this new age will find it almost impossible to survive without incorporating new age technology.
This discussion will continue in Part 2 of this article and shall focus on the specifics of HR 2.0.
Please feel free to share your thoughts and views on this article.
