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WOMEN OF THE WEEK

Human resource, her forte

Who is an ideal HR manager? One who listens, says Jyothi Menon of Lason India

CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE Jyothi Menon

Her first book "The Power of Human Relations" was launched in 2004. She sent a copy to President APJ Abdul Kalam. She was surprised when he wrote back: "I liked the paragraph `Importance of building a brand to attract talent' of your book The Power of Human Relations (Page 55). My best wishes to you."

"Wow," she thought, "Let me expand that into another book." Her second book "Brand-Wise" came out last year. She has just written her third, "Me, A Winner."

That's Jyothi Menon, vice president, People Practice, Lason India, and winner of Indira Super Achievers Award for Excellence in Human Resources.

Only child and dad's girl, she did what she was expected to do. She took a degree in Math, did her BE Electronics and joined Mastech as technical recruiter. And discovered she was more interested in men (and women) than in their machines. Managing HR would be her forte. For 13 years, she hopped jobs, convincing corporate heads that she was "passionate about people" and her workstation should be in the HR department. After creating an HR centre for Computer Associates, she joined Lason India. Jyothi certainly knows a thing or two about why people quit jobs.

Years of people-watching is the source of her HR ideas, she says. "I've seen successes and failures. Also dad was in Air India, we packed and moved often. All the travel certainly helped."

The content

Delete the jargon and the central thought in her books is this. In the tech space you work in, getting skilled staff to stay on is the biggest headache. You don't want to hear the dreaded phrase "I've got a better offer" too often. Truth is, "better offer" is not always why employees say good-bye. Her company pays at middle levels yet has a lower attrition rate. Why? It is not the money. It's good leadership that gets employees growing old in your outfit.

"At the exit interview, I ask them if they would leave their spouse for a richer one. Not one of them has answered yes so far. So it is how you feel about people you work with, right?" Increase salaries, you lose the price advantage. A few years ahead, the English advantage will erode. So the corporation has to create a brand, one that employees will want to associate with. It's done through constant interaction, openness and adding a fun element to work.

Jyothi says she and her team of 30 are creating that brand. "I manage HR, PR and housekeeping in the three facilities, one of which is in Keeranur village. Our major activity is supporting EmployABILITY, the annual job fair for disabled persons, organised by the Ability Foundation. There's in-house yoga for all employees. There are competitions, coupons and creative entertainment. It's seeing that employees look forward to coming here."

Which is why she hates HR outsourcing. "For them, company hands are just numbers. For me, they are people with needs. I take care of recruitment, induction, tech and soft-skills training, performance reviews. Time and effort go into finding out why people leave. My work is all about emotionally connecting to them."

That's for people over whom she keeps a watch. She whips out another face to get policy changes. "I am an aggressive no-nonsense person," she says laughing. "I'm clear about what's good for the company. If a woman employee has a problem, I walk up to ask the guy, "Are you an MCP?"

So who is an ideal HR manager? One who listens. With practice, you'll know if a candidate is the right fit for the company. Women make excellent HR executives. They have better EQ and have experience in managing people at home. "I find the analytical skills of engineering useful here. It takes me just 7 seconds to judge a prospective employee."

Long hours building relationships in office don't leave her much time for socialising. It's back home to her daughter and husband Bobby, a "hardcore HR guy, the giant who showed me the mirror. We bounce ideas and write together." Jyothi used to be part of the Association of World Poetry. Versifying is now a forgotten habit. "I'm trying out different styles in my books. May be one day I'll write enough for a library."

GEETA PADMANABHAN

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