On the occasion of International Women’s Day
Women In HR
As people management practices in corporate India come of age, organisations, today, are displaying a propensity towards employing more women in their HR departments as compared to men. After all, managing a large number of people, keeping them motivated and listening to their grievances are all a part of the modern HR manager’s job.
And it’s a known fact that listening and empathising come more naturally to women, right? From home managers to human resource managers, these top women in HR have proved that there is no one who can do it better.
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Mandeep Maitra, country head-HR & corporate services (admin, infrastructure & CSR), HDFC Bank Ltd
“Like everyone else, I had the same apprehensions, the same concerns about being accepted, heard and majorly, about work-life balance.”
I was all set out to be a “shrink”…
…and therefore had taken up Psychology Honors in college. One of my aunts was a clinical psychologist and her insights on people and ability to make a difference fascinated me. When I came to Mumbai from Delhi for my post graduation, I learnt about the Personnel Management and Industrial Relations Specialization (as it was known in those days). With my keen interest in people and psychology combined with a strong call to make a difference, I soon realised that HR and I were made for each other. It was the most natural choice for me and I must add here that I love what I do and haven’t looked back a day!
I believe that empathy is the key to understanding people…
However, I have seen some male managers who empathise very well and some women who can be insensitive. Equally true is the fact that some people relate better with women managers and others with male managers. I think we are moving beyond