In June 2019, the renowned Indian yogi and founder of Isha Foundation, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev presented a Leadership Conclave called, “Human is Not a Resource”. This conclave brought together CEOs and CHROs from leading companies like TATA Motors, ISRO, Deloitte and Unilever to rethink and reimagine HR to attract and retain the best talent, engage employees effectively, understand the importance of employee motivation, manage a multi-general workforce and remain responsive in this increasingly dynamic world.
The purpose of this conclave was to discuss practical steps to enable a paradigm shift from human beings as resources to human beings as possibilities. Sadhguru believes that if we perceive a flesh- and- blood person as a resource, we can never unfold the genius of that human being. The nature of the resource is such that you already know what qualities it possesses. Human beings, on the other hand, have limitless qualities and possibilities.
Even today, most organizations are structured using management hierarchy, which believes in people management and is not built to function in a complex and dynamic world like ours. It leads to problems like bureaucracy, long meetings, fear of change and lack of engagement.
According to Assocham study, around 42.5% of employees in the Indian private sector are believed to be distressed with anxiety or depression. The main reasons for this situation are long working hours and less pay, which exhausts them mentally and physically. It is time that we shift gears, rethink the concept of “human resource” and put the well- being of people, over everything else. Redefining the role of HR is no longer an option.
You might also be interested to read: Role of a CHRO – Why Your Company Needs One
Organisations invest a lot in maintaining and managing people but not in developing them in such a way that their potential can be explored to its fullest. The best can come out of a human being only in a joyful state. If the employee motivation factors are taken care of and everyone working in the organization is happy, they do not need extreme focus on people management. A joyful man is a wonderful human resource always.
Many organizations across the world have done amazing work by adopting the culture of putting people first. It indicates an environment where people feel safe and respected. Ideally, the office must be a place where an individual does not have to pretend to be a different person. A lot of creativity can be unleashed when individuals are happy and feel at ease.
Human is not a resource; they are full of possibilities. It’s time that the conversation moves from managing people to the development of people and something is done to help them flourish and perform their best.
Adopting holacracy can make a big difference. It is an alternative to people management hierarchy where the power distribution is not top-down. The power is distributed through the organization, giving individuals and teams more freedom to self- manage, without deviating from the organization’s purpose. Holacracy-powered organizations are highly purpose driven and transparent in their approach.
Leaders and HR managers need to redesign their organization and make a shift in the way they look at people. Humans are not resources. Their immeasurable potential is a means to unlocking endless opportunities and hopefully, this conclave has managed to initiate a conversation that challenges the status quo and can be instrumental in transforming how human beings are perceived in an organization.
References:
- A Shift in Perspective: From Human as a Resource to Talent as a Bundle of Possibilities- Drishti Pant, 17 June 2019
- Sharing Holacracy at Isha Foundation- Human is Not a Resource 2019- Mohammed Ali Vakil, June 2019
- Human is Not a ‘Resource’ but Endless ‘Possibility’: 5 Nuggets of Wisdom from Sadhguru’s Isha Foundation- Sutrishna Ghosh, 03 July, 2019
- Spiritual Leader Sadhguru on Tapping the Human Potential- Sadhguru, 26 May, 2019
- The New World of HR: Humans are Not resources- flarehrweb, 20 October, 2016
