CHENNAI: R Karthikeyan of Gemba Management Consulting was felicitated by Minister for Tamil Development, Culture and Archaeology K Pandiarajan on Monday, for being elected as national president of Indian Society for Training and Development for the third time in a row. Karthikeyan won with a record vote share of over 80 per cent, according to members of ISTD and National Institute of Personnel Management, who organised the event. Speaking at the event, Pandiarajan congratulated Karthikeyan on his victory and lauded his ability to speak in simple terms. “It’s hard not be complex after being in Human Resources for so many years,” Pandiarajan, said jokingly.
Pandiarajan expressed his respect for Human Resources, his roots, and said he hadn’t left the field. “Politics is macro HR,” he noted. Karthikeyan, who spoke to the HR professionals gathered at the event, spoke about his recent visit to the Google headquarters and highlighted takeaways in their human resources practices.
“Taking care of all employees’ needs and allowing them to think only about work is just the tip of the iceberg,” Karthikeyan said, explaining that these perks fade away after a while. He pointed out how the ‘anybody can ask any question’ work ethos is a major boost. “Giving employees a sense of purpose is the biggest achievement the company has done,” Karthikeyan claimed. He also explained the importance of allowing every employee to double as a recruiter. Taking stock of ISTD, Karthikeyan said the body had to redefine it in the coming years to stay relevant. for the future generation.