HRMIT : Mit's Human Resource Insights

In the grand rhythm of organizational life, every journey that begins must eventually come to a point of transition. Just as the cosmic cycle recognizes dissolution not as an end but as a path to renewal, so does the strategic Human Resource process embrace the exit stage as an essential part of organizational continuity. In professional terms, this is the phase of Offboarding and Exit Management. The exit phase reflects the wisdom of transformation, where the HR function-mirroring the principle of Mahesh - does not merely destroy the employment contract but guides the process of change, helping both the individual and the organization move forward with dignity, legal compliance, and operational stability. When an employee exits, whether through resignation, retirement, or restructuring, HR’s role extends far beyond the procedural tasks. It becomes a critical exercise in Risk Management and Brand Reputation. The departure of an employee affects not only the individual but also the sys...

The sustain stage represents the heart of the Employee Lifecycle. It is the phase where an organization nurtures, develops, and retains its talent, ensuring that the human capital acquired during the recruitment stage continues to appreciate in value. This is the longest and most dynamic phase in Human Resource Management, encompassing critical functions such as Performance Management, Learning and Development (L&D), Employee Engagement, and Total Rewards. It is the stage that truly defines organizational culture, reduces attrition, and ensures long-term stability. Philosophically, this stage aligns with the sustaining force of Vishnu—the preserver in the cosmic cycle who maintains balance, harmony, and order. Similarly, HR’s strategic responsibility during this stage is to sustain motivation, performance, and alignment among employees so that the organization remains vibrant and competitive. Though HR operates within corporate structures, its role carries a similar purpose: to ma...

The creation stage represents the genesis of the Employee Lifecycle, the critical moment where the foundation of the employment relationship is built. It is the phase where Human Resources translates organizational vision into human capability through thoughtful and structured functions such as manpower planning, recruitment, and onboarding. This stage symbolizes the creative energy within HR, much like the role of Brahma in the cosmic cycle of creation. While HR may not be divine, its purpose aligns with the act of giving form, direction, and life to an organization’s human potential, ensuring that the business strategy has the people power required to execute it.

I believe that the Human Resources function plays a profound and purposeful role in shaping the journey of an employee within an organization. While HR is certainly not divine, its core functions can be meaningfully aligned with the cosmic cycle represented by the Trinity—Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh—reflecting the universal laws of creation, sustenance, and transformation. These stages represent the birth, growth, and renewal that define every professional journey, with HR standing quietly at the center of this timeless rhythm known in the corporate world as the Employee Lifecycle. The first stage marks the creation of opportunity, the birth of a professional relationship. In the corporate context, this is the phase of Talent Acquisition and Onboarding. It begins with thoughtful manpower planning, where HR acts like Brahma, identifying organizational needs and defining the skills required to create value. This phase brings a plan to life by connecting talent with purpose. From the initi...

Nearly 70% of change initiatives fail, according to the global studies that get quoted at every leadership offsite I've sat through. And almost every time I've watched one fail up close, it wasn't the software that was broken or the policy that was wrong. It was people. Whether it's a Biometric Attendance system replacing the old manual register, or shifting from a six-day to a five-day work week, change brings anxiety with it, no matter how logical the change looks on paper. In my experience, resistance rarely comes from stubbornness. It comes from fear of the unknown, dressed up as objections to the process.

Change is inevitable in any business. But in a Cooperative, it moves to a completely different rhythm than it does anywhere else I've worked. In a private corporation, the CEO might stay in the chair for ten years, sometimes longer. In a Cooperative, the Board of Directors often rotates every three to five years because of elections. That single structural difference creates a challenge most corporate HR playbooks never have to think about: how do you hold operational stability together when the people at the top keep changing?

There was a time when Human Resources was viewed primarily as an administrative function. HR maintained employee records, processed payroll inputs, managed leave applications, organized annual celebrations, and ensured compliance with labour regulations. Many organizations considered HR a support function rather than a business function.

A few years back, I watched a genuinely brilliant hire fail within four months, and it took me a while to understand why. She had come from a large FMCG company, ten years of experience, an impressive resume, references that checked out beautifully. We hired her for a fast-moving startup expecting her to hit the ground running. Instead, she kept asking who was going to "approve" her decisions. There was no one to approve them. That was the job. She wasn't a bad hire. She was the wrong hire for that particular organism.

Recruitment looks deceptively simple from the outside. Post a job. Interview a few people. Make an offer. If you've never sat on the hiring side of the table, that's probably how you imagine it too. But any seasoned HR professional will tell you the truth is far scarier. A bad hire is more expensive than a vacant seat. Industry estimates suggest a wrong hiring decision can cost a company up to three times the employee's annual salary once you add up training costs, lost productivity, and the quiet damage it does to team morale. I've seen this play out firsthand, and it's rarely the salary that hurts the most. It's the six months of a manager's energy spent managing someone who was never going to work out.

Ask an average employee what HR does, and you'll usually get two answers: "They hire people" and "They process salaries." (And if you're in India, add a third: "They make the Rangoli during Diwali.") Recruitment and payroll are the visible machinery of the department. But they're the tip of the iceberg, not the department. The real HR professional is the organization's First Responder.

If you ask a group of MBA students, "What is Human Resource Management?" most will confidently quote a textbook definition. Human Resource Management (HRM) is the process of recruiting, developing, managing, and retaining employees to achieve organizational goals.