ENTREPRENEURS' GUIDE TO MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES Simple 10 principles for managing HR 11/28/2013 (Dr. T.K. Jain’s series for entrepreneurs) Dr. Trilok Kumar Jain
ENTREPRENEURS' GUIDE TO MANAGING HUMAN
RESOURCES
by : Trilok Kumar Jain
Dean, ISBM Suresh Gyan Vihar
University, Jaipur, India
Mobile : 9414430763
Author of book on: Human Resource
Management
for whom?
Are you an entrepreneur? - this will help you
thow who have become entrepreneurs
those who aspire to be entrepreneurs
those who aspire to train entrepreneurs
thow who aspire to support entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurship is all about managing team and
transforming team to out-performing organisations.
Entrepreneurship is to convert 2+2=4 to 2+2=5. This is
not easy. It is to reinforce and build commitment among
the employees. It is to build their sense of commitment.
It is to create aspirations among them. The task of
entrepreneur is not just to manage enterprise; it is also
to support the entire team during their personal
difficulties also. The entrepreneur of tomorrow will have
to go beyond the typical roles of a manager and extend a
helping hand of a friend, philosopher and guide to the
employees.
It would be wrong to treat employees as employees only.
It would be better to elevate the employees as partners
in progress, partners in growth and partners in
organisation's profits. Organisations will be able to grow
if they are able to have people who aspire to change the
organisation as per changing times.
Organisations are build on five fundamentals : -
a. shared beliefs & culture: organisation is a belief
system. You have to believe in your organisation and its
eternity. You have to have faith in the work of the
organisation. You have to trust your organisation. You
have to bring the best out of yourself for the organisation
because you have to believe that it is for a good cause.
Beliefs have to be shared, discussed and evolved,
organisation has to be built around beliefs. As an
entrepreneur, you have to create a culture of excellence
and re-create it. You have to create a system where
people are able to support each other and are able to
develop a culture of mutual support and teamwork. It
also means a well established hierarchy, division of work,
clarity in roles and mutual support. Take honey-bees for
example, they are great organsation – because they work
in a culture of excellence. Take Geese for example, they
develop leaders, and leaders help others and give way to
others to take leadership roles.
b. ideas : the ideas differentiate organisation from other
organiation, products from other products, services from
other services. The ideas build the reasons for the
existance of the organisation
c. process innovations: Innovations are the way through
which the organisations are able to improve their
working constantly and bring out the best from the
teams. The collective synergies are possible due to these
innovations and processes.
d. superordinate goals : organisations create
superordinate goals - more important goals than our
individual goals. Employees pursue these goals vigorously
and love them. The employees must imbibe these goals
and follow them religiously.
f. systems and procedures : Organisations create systems
to ensure stability, fairness, transparency,
professionalism, stability, order, and discipline. These
systems are created and re-created regularly and they
give the backbone to the organisation.
10 Principles that will help you manage your HR
1. Recruit Carefully
People will tell you to adopt objective tests, written tests,
and aptitude tests for recruitment. You may adopt these.
But more important than these are the detailed
personal interviews and assignments. You can judge
employee on the basis of his score in written test. Its not
his capability, but its his willingness, his commitment and
his aspirations that will help you the most. So more than
the objective tests, you have to rely on subjective tests -
your own ability to judge people. You have to invest your
time with the candidate and see that you are able to
explore the person thoroughly. Probe deeply and ask
questions like Why, what for, how, to know about the
psychology of the employee. Recruiting good employees
will enable you to take the organisation to rocket hights.
2. Orient Thoroughly
Before putting an employee to task, give him orientation.
Its about briefing them about your philosophy, your
ideals, your beliefs and your mission. The employees
must be glued to your way of working before he starts
working. He must really respect the organisation as a
great place - not because it is looking great, but because
of its soul - which is in the shared vision that you are able
to create.
3. Place Properly
Square peg in square hole, round peg in round hole. Put
the employees in the jobs for which they are best suited.
Place employees carefully. Give them assignments that
can enable them to work great. Every employee is not fit
for every assignment. Give employees the assignments in
which they will enjoy the most and will exert extra
efforts. Every employee can put in at least 100% more
efforts in some or other sector - provided the work is
related to his passions. Identify the areas where the
employee will click. Periodically assess and re-assess and
rotate employees to check their suitability. Identify the
hidden potential of the employees.
4. Train Judiciously
Training is an investment. But before sending the
employee for training - ensure that employee is going to
stay in your organisation. First take a feedback from
other employees that this employee will become your
asset and will work here - then decide to send him for
training. Employees must aspire for training and let the
employee approach you for a training programme. Send
the employees only if you are sure that the employee is
really hungry for the training programme. Training has
following costs : - 1. cost of training 2. cost of employee
(his manhours) 3. cost of replacing employee 4. cost of
travel and other related costs.
Training must generate returns after training. The returns
will be possible only if there is proper planning before
training. I have seen in public sector that an employee is
given training in X and given assignment of Y. His training
gives him no help in his job. This cannot be tolerated by
an entrepreneur. An entrepreneur has to ensure that
each training is reflected in the performance of the
employee.
There are some practical suggestions: -
a. give online training to the employee - so that there is
no man-hour loss
b. give shorter duration trainings rather than long
duration training
c. give practical training rahter than theoretical training
d. give on the job training rather than off the job training
5. Appraise Regularly
Only public sector organisation can afford to not to have
performance appraisal system in place. Entrepreneurs
have to establish a fair, transparent, effective
performance appraisal and periodically assess the
performance of the employee.
6. Motivate Daily
Motivation must be a regular process. You can avoid
food for a day or two. You can avoid water for a day or
two. You can avoid other work for a day or two.
Motivation is a constant process. Motivation can come
from various modes, a few examples are as follows : -
a. rewarding good employees
b. sharing a good book on motivation with the
employees
c. sharing a good example
d. sharing your personal achievement with the
employees
e. sharing success stories
f. just a supportive smile
g. motivational talk by some outsider
h. attending webinar by motivational speaker
i. reading and sharing e-magazine on inspiration and
motivation (take for example IU e Magazine).
7. Fire Rarely
Entrepreneurs generally command very high power in
organisations and they are widely respected, but they
should not use their power negatively too often. It is
human to make mistakes and employees will make
mistakes. Entrepreneurs must give them a chance to
make mistakes. They have to be tolerant to the small
losses that are caused due to mistakes by employees.
8. Know Personally
Entrepreneurs must know the employees personally, and
must be prepared to extend a helping hand to the
employees in all their difficulties. If you know that an
employee is facing financial difficulties, extend your
helping hand to the employee so that the employee
remains loyal to you for ever. If you know that an
employee is going to have some personal engagements,
do enable him to execute his personal responsibilities. It
would be great of employees if you call them and greet
them on their important days (like birthday, anniversary
etc.). Knowing employees personally will enable you to
manager your organisation better.
9. Share the Profits Annually
Convert your employees into business partners. Share
you profits – in the form of bonus, profit sharing plans
etc. These will help the employees to change their
perspective from being employee to being owner. Once
their perception changes from being employees to being
owners, they will become the true pillers of your
organisation. Organisations are built on such pillers, who
care for the organisation and are passionate for its
success. As an entrepreneur, you have to spark the
entrepreneur in every employee and convert him into
your mirror – for some or other segment of the business
enterprise.
10. Gift Lavishly
Employees expect the entrepreneurs to give lavish gifts
during new year, Diwali or other such occasions. The
entrepreneurs must show their generosity by giving gifts
that the employees would always love to preserve and
show off. Gifts connect the entrepreneurs to the families
of the employees and it creates a sense of belonging
among the employees.
Pl. do read my other articles also - which are freely available on the net : -
10 Point Orientation Programme for the Future Entrepreneurs
Beginners Guide to Career Enrichment
Biographies of Great Scholars from Bikaner
Bikaner’s Greatest Role Models of our times
Sujit Lalwani – An Inspirational Leader and Social Entrepreneur
Abhay Jain Granthalaya Bikaner
Harakh Chand Nahata – The Great Social Entrepreneur
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