The 4Rs of How Boards Approach HR Issues

Abstract

This first-hand participant-observation-based article is designed to create reflective sensitisation in key stakeholders. It seeks to provide insights into the approach of companies in India (both that of the management and the Board members) to Human Resources (HR) issues at the Board level. It argues that both management representatives and Board members, in a range of contexts, deploy different strategies to deal with various HR issues. The article highlights what it calls the ‘4R’ approach to HR issues at the Board level. It analyses the various factors that impact the choice of these approaches and calls upon all concerned to leverage the legal responsibility and the moral obligation to create superior value in a constructive Board framework.