Amitabh Sharma
Features Coordinator

As companies are expanding their portfolio and moving beyond shores, numerous opportunities are emerging for incumbents. But at the same time throwing challenges for the human resource professional to find the right mix of people to fit into an organisational structure.



“Our task is becoming increasingly difficult by the day,” says Cassida Jones, chief human resource officer, GK Foods, “what we are lacking today is discipline and commitment.”

Jones, who has spent nine years in GraceKennedy says that there has been a shift in the perception and the attitude of the workforce from the past.

“There has been a shift from the profile of an employee then and now,” Jones says. “Gone are the days when people used to be loyal to the company.”

The new generation, which Jones terms as ‘Mellennials’, are not one of those who respect authority. “They believe that authority should be scrutinised and then respected and neither want to stick to one job for long.”

Being at ease with technology is among the key traits that the ‘Millennials’, those who were born in 1982 or after, possess. But attitude is still the key.

“Sometimes I am surprised to find candidates coming in casual attire for interviews,” Jones says. “and many times they find it convenient not to wish anyone.” A person is judged from the time he or she enters the office, it is not merely the qualifications that an organisation looks for, “it starts with etiquette,” adds Jones.

Another area of concern is proper grooming, “sometimes they come in T – shirts and jeans, they have to understand that they are no longer students in the University or college and they are professionals now,” says Jones.

The Generation ‘Y’ is a cool set but there are some things that they need to understand; first jobs are limited, second they should not have undue or unreasonable expectations. “Sometimes youngsters come with a figure for salary, and when they see the offer, their castle of dreams comes crashing down,” says Jones.

“Do not treat your office space as a place to have fun,” advises Jones. “I have had to take off earphones and take their portable music players as I find them busy in their favourite music than work,” Jones says.

Prepare yourself
Companies today are looking for leaders among them, it is a known practice that the new leader should come from within the organisation than someone from outside. “Succession planning is a priority for us,” says Jones. “This involves identifying key positions and the people who are going to take the mantle to take the organisation forward.”

Companies are expanding their business beyond shores; it would be an advantage if one is multilingual. “One should be able to adapt to various cultures and accommodate people and should have the flexibility to re-locate,” says Jones.

One of the key traits is cultural sensitivity and diversity, the incumbent should be able to deal with the intricacies of the local customs and culture and ensure not to offend the people.

“Entrepreneurial spirit is also a key to success,” says Jones. “Companies need people with business acumen, this is important to set the blueprint of new businesses and expand and grow the existing ones. They should be able to demonstrate leadership skills, which will determine their growth in the company.

Among the traits, Jones advises the ‘Millennials’ to be innovative and creative, which means that people from arts, marketing and social sciences can also look at varied job profiles if they are ready to demonstrate their skills.

Whereas the ‘Millennials’ are sound technically, they lack interpersonal skills. It is not uncommon for them to interact via e-mail, chat or even text messaging when they sitting in opposite cubicles.

The jobs today demands to be globally aware, so it is imperative that one is ready to take up that role and to multitask; “One should have the ability to analyse and have solution to problems and not only highlight them,” advises Jones.

amitabh.sharma@gleanerjm.com