#hr practices

Workplace exit culture Pakistan does not fail quietly. It exposes a mindset. You resign, and within minutes, access disappears. Conversations dry up. Managers suddenly become too busy to meet your eyes. No one says it openly. But the message lands anyway. You are no longer trusted. In most economies, resignation is routine. People move. Companies adapt. Systems absorb the transition. In…

Sustainable Education - SMU’s Green Initiative for Distance MBA Students

The concept of sustainability is intervening in business at a huge level. It not only affected the levels of operations or supply chains, but it began rebuilding human resources management. Sikkim Manipal Distance Education MBA is one such university standing at the forefront in bringing this change by incorporating eco-friendly practices into its HR curriculum to prepare its students for the…

The concept of sustainability is intervening in business at a huge level. It not only affected the levels of operations or supply chains, but it began rebuilding human resources management. Sikkim Manipal Distance Education MBA is one such university standing at the forefront in bringing this change by incorporating eco-friendly practices into its HR curriculum to prepare its students for the green economy.

Emergence of Sustainable HRSustainable HR, also known as Green HR, is the business strategy that uses HR policies to drive sustainable business practices and build an environmentally sensitive workforce. It's becoming much more significant for the following reasons:

Increasing demand by consumers for greener products and services

Stricter regulations concerning the environment

Growing attraction and retention of talent that is green-minded

Cost-efficient due to the utilization of resources efficiently

Improve corporate reputation and increase brand value

SMU's Approach to Sustainable HR EducationSikkim Manipal University has identified sustainability as an imperative in today's business and has integrated the concept throughout its HR curricula:

Foundational KnowledgeThe students are first introduced to the fundamental aspects of sustainable business:

The Triple Bottom Line: People, Planet, Profit

UN Sustainable Development Goals

Principles of a Circular Economy

Environment Management Systems

This forms a strong foundation for the understanding of how sustainability impacts and is applied within human resources.

Green RecruitmentSMU trains students on:

How to create job descriptions that reflect sustainability commitments

Screen for ecological-sensitive talent

Assess the candidate's environmental values

Go digital to reduce paper wastage in recruitment

Graduates are equipped to form teams that support the organizational goals of sustainability.

Sustainable OnboardingThe curriculum touches on sustainable onboarding practices such as:

Digital documentation to cut down on paper usage

Virtual orientation to reduce travel

Incorporating Sustainability training during onboarding

Green office tours to acclimatize the new employee with the eco-initiatives

These initiatives lay the foundation for an employee journey that the organization wants to take toward sustainability.

Green Training and DevelopmentThe SMU has placed a strong emphasis on sustaining the approach toward employee development:

E-learning platforms to reduce travel and use of resources 

Training programs on environmental awareness 

Workshops on how to apply sustainable practices to everyday work 

Management development with an added emphasis on environmental stewardship

Students learn how to build a culture of continuous environmental improvement.

Sustainable Compensation and BenefitsThe program at SMU covers green innovative benefits:

Incentives to use public transport or carpool

Rewards for minimizing energy consumption

Green pension funds

Work-from-home benefits to reduce commutes

The students learn how to create pay packages to stay aligned with the mission of sustainability.

Change Management for SustainabilitySMU equips students to:

Manage organizational change for sustainability

Reduce resistance to green initiatives

Design communication strategies for sustainability initiatives

Build a continuous environmental improvement culture

The SMU Advantage in Sustainable HRBy integrating sustainability into its HR curriculum, Sikkim Manipal University enjoys certain distinct advantages such as:

Graduates will be equipped to find employment in the emerging green economy segment

Students have a greater understanding of business sustainability as a whole. 

The curriculum is renewed periodically to cope with the latest trends related to green HR practices. 

Application projects provide students with the scope to apply the concept of sustainable HR initiatives.

Despite economic slowdown, one industry which gained more attention is apparently the ‘healthcare industry’. Developing countries and even developed countries are grappling with inadequate healthcare professionals. Sourcing and retaining trained healthcare professionals are itself the biggest challenge faced by the human resource leaders of the healthcare industry today. 

During crisis periods, like the one we are currently undergoing, HR from any industry starts realizing the importance of ‘human connect’. Hence, the approach that every HR is strategizing should be based on empathy for the people by communicating about the list of hospitals, safety measures, hygiene protocols, guidelines for isolating and so on. The entire reinvention of practices is happening in front of us. The changes that are aloof are as follows. 

1) Forming A Very Response Team 

Most of the companies struggled to keep their salary increment budget unchanged during this pandemic, but HR should find it important to constantly communicate about the health benefits that a company is offering, especially during a crisis like this. Many organizations follow a mandate of providing minimum safety measures like sanitizing, regular fever checks, frequent fumigations, avoiding contamination of the office. In addition to the above said initiatives, giving dietary supplements like fruits and vitamin C to boost their immunity. 

2) Employee Safety and The Wellness Initiatives 

Having regular checks ensures physical health, along with which mental health should also be considered. Due to the pandemic, many are affected by the mental illness and subjected to domestic violence. Along with sanitized physical safety measures, make every healthcare staff hear from their leaders on a regular basis, which in turn boosts the morale for the profession and often makes them feel supported. This also helps in resolving the microaggressions that arose within the organization. 

3) Reconsidering the Leave and Other Policies 

Reinvent the leave policies according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MOHRE). Few notable policies introduced, which are in favor of the people. The notable leave policies are: 

MOHRE calls on establishments on not to terminate any employee who is tested as positive for COVID-19 

Any worker who is affected by COVID-19 should grant sick leave not more than 90 days (about 3 months) 

And so many other leave policies to encourage and support healthcare workers. Keep sharing about the organization's compassion for them and the strategy to show how resilient the company is, even during the pandemic. On the one hand, as a period of silver lining, the healthcare industries learn to operate with minimal staff support yet delivering their best to society. On the other hand, the risk factor is also piled up enormously.