The Persistent Challenges in Education and Organizational
Culture
Even after decades of independence, it's disheartening to
observe that our education system has not fully matured. While many colleges
have been established, some have closed down, and others continue to struggle
for survival or grapple with maintaining a strong institutional culture.
Despite efforts to tackle these challenges, the system has yet to address them
comprehensively.
Beyond improving research and education quality, the
greatest challenge lies in managing manpower effectively and fostering a
competitive work environment. While universities and colleges are making
sincere efforts across various areas, achieving these goals requires not only
well-crafted HR policies but also the selection of intellectually diverse
individuals who can cultivate a healthy workplace culture.
Establishing strong HR policies is essential, but these
policies need to be implemented effectively to ensure success. Research
indicates that the higher the quality of implementation, the greater the
likelihood of success. If an organization faces issues like non-performance,
unhealthy competition, disregard for hierarchy, and a lack of focus on work, it
signals a need to focus more on culture than just policies. Poor work culture
often results from imbalances in work-life balance, excessive workloads, and
prolonged work hours, leading to employee burnout, detachment, and ultimately,
high turnover.
In today's competitive environment, where managing manpower
is increasingly challenging, it is commendable that many organizations are
beginning to recognize the importance of improving work culture. However, when
employees suggest that there is no need for HR in the organization, it should
be a wake-up call for management. While such suggestions might appear to show
employee commitment, they actually underscore the urgent need for HR
professionals. Each role within an organization requires specific expertise—teachers
cannot do the job of HR, just as HR cannot do the job of teachers.
Hiring people without assessing their expertise, often due
to favoritism, invites cultural problems. Random hiring without proper
alignment to job roles can lead to a toxic work environment where employees,
unable to perform effectively, resort to office politics to survive.
HR is the vital link between management and employees, and
its role extends far beyond hiring and firing. The HR department is the
heartbeat of an organization, driving the creation of a winning team by
ensuring that the best talent is recruited and nurtured. HR professionals are
responsible for developing today's and tomorrow’s leaders, and their role is
indispensable for any organization aiming for long-term success.
Creating and maintaining a positive work culture requires
time, thoughtful decisions, and active management involvement. It's about
changing human nature, which is a gradual process. Poor culture often results
from past decisions, such as incorrect promotions or unfair pay structures, and
fixing these issues requires commitment and a willingness to engage with the
root causes.
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