4 November2022Editor NoteWomen Turn Stereotypes to their Advantage & Excel at HR FunctionsWomen are often told what is and isn't suitable for them to do. This extends from basics such as the way one must sit to major life decisions such as choice of career. For years women were told that teaching was the best suited profession for them. Gradually banking was added to this list of suitable profession for Indian women as both these roles had relatively easier work timings. As time went by, another profession was added in the list of `desirable jobs for women', ie: Human Resource. Historically, women came into the field of HR is the late 19th century. As the west was embroiled in industrialization, women were hired largely to take care of other workers. The role eventually evolved to include other responsibilities such as recruitment, work policies, work place management and more. Today the function of HR has come to the forefront and is one of the key business functions for any organization. Women have been the backbone of the industry and today play key roles in the sector the world over. In 2016, 72 percent of HR managers were women as found by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Similarly in 2017, Payscale.com found that a whopping 86 percent of HR generalists were women.Closer home in India, a report by Spectrum Talent Management concluded that the hiring ratio of men v/s women in HR has historically been higher. In 2021, the ratio stood at 40:60 ratio in favour of women.Women are believed to be superior HR leaders owing to several factors. Some believe it to be women's ability to be better managers, or to them being better at multitasking. Others credit it to women's superior ability to judge abstract qualities such as personality and ethics.However, it boils down to women having superior Emotional Quotient which allows them to better identify emotions and make informed decisions concerning thoughts and behaviors based on this insight. Although men possess a different form of EQ, studies suggest that women possess advanced empathetic and interpersonal skills. Such skills are key in terms of discharging HR functions such as resolving intra-office disputes, managing employees, and negotiating contracts. The our current edition of Women Entrepreneur magazine shines the spotlight on a few such talented HR leaders who have built their own HR consultancies and are helping client organizations better their resource management tactics. Read on and do let us know you thoughts. Rachita SharmaManaging Editor
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