HUMAN RESOURCES
Compiled by Yamini Sequeira
AN ENABLER OF CREATIVITY
Upulka Samarakoon explains why the work-life balance unlocks creativity
Q: How much has human resources (HR) evolved as a vital function of corporates in Sri Lanka?
A: HR maturity in Sri Lankan corporates is on a spectrum; some have only the most rudimentary HR functions; others including local corporates have highly evolved global level HR functions.
There is currently a deeper understanding of the strategic role that HR plays – and more is expected of the function. HR bodies in the country have contributed to this evolution by connecting professionals so that we can learn from each other and collectively elevate the quality of human resource management in Sri Lanka.
The pandemic has hastened ‘the future’ to our doorstep. HR professionals in Sri Lanka have quickly stepped up and led the charge – i.e. in managing the complex and rapidly evolving landscape, for our companies and colleagues.
Q: What pillars need to be in place for HR to be a partner at the strategy level?
A: Being a strategic partner is about building a people centric agenda that delivers results and collaborating with other leaders to drive that agenda.
Broadly speaking, there are five pillars that enable this: a good understanding of the business; internal and external intelligence (people insights together with external economic and demographic trends, and competitor activity); agility in managing projects in a complex landscape; marketing skills to build ownership for the people agenda and promote the employer brand; and building solutions that enhance the employee experience and business impact.
Q: Could you describe the overall gender balance in the corporate sector?
A: According to an ILO estimate, Sri Lanka’s overall female labour force participation rate is 35 percent this year. In March, IFC stated that in non-apparel companies in its SheWorks partnership, only 28 percent of the staff were women.
Moreover, LMD reported that female representation on the boards of Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) listed companies in March 2018 was slightly below nine percent. These statistics are pitifully inadequate.
It is important to note that women bear a disproportionate burden created by the pandemic, from increased caregiving for younger children and the elderly, to facilitating online learning for older children.
The pandemic has disrupted support structures that enabled women’s participation in paid work outside the home. On a positive note, we are hearing many stories of increased household load sharing by men.
Hopefully, the pandemic will make such behaviour commonplace going forward. Many progressive companies are recognising that we need to run faster so as to not lose ground in moving towards gender equality. They are working towards addressing such challenges.
Q: How much does HR in corporates rely on scientific measurement tools to evaluate employee performance?
A: The measurement of human contribution is a challenge that organisations have been grappling with for years. The role of HR is to arm line managers with the best tools available; and the role of line managers is to use them in an appropriate manner.
Even the best measurement tool will be of limited use in the absence of feedback and guidance for individuals. Most employees only find out how they’re assessed at the end of the year. Employees too have a role to play – how many keep the goal sheet in view to see if they are moving in the right direction?
Q: What role does work-life balance play in the HR equation?
A: We speak of work-life balance as if they are opposing forces but I think they’re complementary. Wellbeing and productivity reinforce one another. Burnout is not the price that we need to pay for success; and if we believe that, a new definition of ‘success’ is needed.
The pandemic has given us an opportunity to rise above traps such as ‘presenteeism’; but if we enable ‘in-person presenteeism’ to be replaced by ‘virtual presenteeism’ – where you are always accessible and ‘always on’ – we’re wasting a great opportunity to reset and re-prioritise.
Those whose lives have a rich tapestry of interests and relationships outside work are better employees. With the world around us evolving at a rapid pace, creativity is a quality that companies need in the workforce. To this end, work-life balance is an enabler of creativity.
Q: What pressures has the workforce faced during the COVID-19 crisis? And are local companies geared to handle work from home (WFH)?
A: The pandemic has impacted different industries and individuals in diverse ways. So for example, the challenges faced by the workforce in front line provision of essential services are very different to those faced in industries where remote working is easy.
In general, staying safe from the virus, safeguarding incomes and jobs, and managing the pressures caused by the unavailability of support structures – such as childcare and schooling – are primary concerns.
Companies with better infrastructure have been able to shift employees whose work does not require direct customer or machine interaction to WFH fairly easily. Due to our tumultuous history, Sri Lankans have the resilience and creativity needed to overcome these challenges.
