As a management educator with practicing Human Resource Development (HRD) experiences, I recall almost every batch of MBA students at Graduate Business Schools enjoyed to ask me the fundamental question, “What is the heart of management function?” I happily responded that “Directing is the fifth function of management. It is the heart of management process. Directing refers to instructing, guiding and overseeing the performance of the workforce to achieve the predetermined goals. Directing helps to create an appropriate work environment and facilitates efficient discharge of duties.”
I added, “From recruitment and employee training to strategic planning and compliance, HR and Learning & Development (L&D) professionals are the heart of building an efficient and thriving workforce. Strong HR management and development skills ensure smoother business operations, improved employee relations & better talent retention. We navigate challenges like WFH & changing labor laws, mastering key competencies becomes essential.”
So, we are grateful with Wan Abdul Hadi & wife, Maszelina for bringing together most of our former Malaysia Airlines (MAS) HR and L&D professionals to attend the wedding reception of Wan Amirul Fikry and Nur Syarina, at Dewan Raja Muda Musa, Shah Alam, last Saturday. It was sort of an HR reunion.
I enjoyed spending 15 years at MAS learning from my wonderful colleagues about airlines' HRD experiences that vary widely, from leveraging technology for better employee and customer experiences to focusing on core issues like employee relations, talent management & employee well-being. Challenges include difficulty retaining talents due to competitive international compensation issues, while real opportunities lie in developing new leaders, managing talent across functions, and improving employee engagement through various initiatives like higher education opportunities and leadership development.
It occurred to me that there are a lot of similarities between flying an airplane and running HR department (that's how much I nerd out on employment/HR issues). HR faces many of the same challenges as other more “operational” (revenue generating) areas, like sales, engineering and international business.
Zulkifly Baharom (hajizul50@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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