This refers to “Trash talk” (Worm’s Eye View, June 2). The use of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure human performance reduces an employee’s role to a device such as a car or mobile that promises certain key deliverables. And yet human resources, or HR, professionals swear by KPIs and metrics. To compound this travesty, we have surveys to measure employee happiness and well-being that are conducted after the company does away with disgruntled workers.
Playing handmaiden to this farce is the academic community in business schools. And the result is there for all of us to see: HR has been downsized, outsourced and off-shored apart from being delayered and merged. Indeed, a top iconic software company in India replaced its HR head with a finance chief. Is it surprising then that the corporate workforce has, in turn, become disenchanted and disengaged? I dare say the corporate sector is unlikely to get talent in the near future. Talent may turn master chefs or write screenplays or letters.
Hari Parmeshwar Mumbai
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