Terrible incident
at Manesar Maruti plant leaving one HR manager dead and 100 injured. Plant is
locked down for 3 weeks now. Waiting period for Dzire is 5 months now. With no
clear picture on when the plant is going to operate Maruti will lose its valuable
customers. What went wrong with Maruti?
Maruti are known
for reading customers minds. They know the Indian market very well than any
other competitor. How they lost their way in not knowing their workers? Is it
because of too much importance to profits and bottom line growth and negligence
towards workers. Arresting people based on criminal acts won't solve the
issues. Workers won't be driven to such utmost mayhem unless there is serious
issue. This is a much deeper problem where management has to be blamed. I feel
this may open new ways in management.
1. Importance to
Industry Relations
With services
industry growing fast for past 2 decades, IR job is over looked. There has not
been good talent groomed in this area. Shop floor roles are neglected by HR
people. Time has come to revamp the strategies in manufacturing sectors.
2. People
Management
People management
has always been an important skill for any manager. Understanding workers
requirements and managing them is the priority. Managers have a serious task of
coping with foreign board and Indian workers. Foreign top management are at
times restrained in knowing workers. Its the responsibility of Indian managers
to address workers issues at right time.
3. Relationship
and Trust
Relationship with
the workers is the only way to move ahead without any problems. Trust with the
management has to be created with the managers. The valid demands have to be
addressed in unbiased way. Suspending and kicking out people won't solve the
issue.
4. Social discontent
Profit motive
alone won’t let a company prosper. It is the social life of workers that help
sustain the company in long term. Workers are discontent with the top
management earning a lot and it is their hard work which is increasing their
salaries. Salaries at top are better off and workers wages are increased only
marginally.
It is time to
make some serious changes to the policies and bring in some public mode of
administration for better managed systems. Changing policies and mode of
recruitment for contract workers may or may not solve the issue. Only when
people's interest are satisfied real problem will be solved.
