Evolving HR role critical

The role of the human resource practitioner is gradually touching the forefront of companies as it continues to evolve.So says Janis Marville, director of human resources at the Central Bank of Barbados.She was speaking to BARBADOS BUSINESS AUTHORITY at Hilton Barbados during a break in the 11th annual Conference of Human Resource Managers Of Central Banks in the Caribbean Region.“HR has moved from backstage to centre stage, now almost front stage.“The successful companies are those where HR captures the vision of the CEO, because the CEO is the visionary and HR needs to capture that vision and operationalise it within the organisation,” she said.Marville noted that human resource professionals need to equip themselves differently since they are no longer simply people who “hire and fire”. “Now we’re moving to the role of coach. No longer can HR sit behind a desk in an office and be effective. “We need to be out there where the game is happening, where the play is happening, to see what is going on,” she added. Marville noted that such a hands-on approach helps to build employee and industrial relations.She said the professional was also becoming more accepting of the display of emotions in the workplace. “Before people were told ‘leave your emotions at the door’,” she said, noting that literature is now showing that the most effective leaders will not be those with a high IQ but those who have a high EQ (emotional intelligence).“Employees don’t really care what qualifications you come with. They care about how much you care, and it’s out of the caring . . . that you build relationships,” she said. (NB)