With the change in time, the role of HR personnel has undergone a drastic change. As the profession has become more challenging, the budding professionals need to develop high spirit for facing the competition and act accordingly. Chief Guest for the occasion, Dr. Devinder Kumar Banwet, President, Indian Society for Training & Development (ISTD) said this, while inaugurating the National HR Conclave-2011 on the theme ‘HR in the New Era - Emerging Frontiers and Challenges’ organized by Asian School of Business Management (ASBM). He also said that the business managers should know how to manage time, how to build and maintain healthy relationship and finally how to set goal in order to achieve the target. He emphasized that it is very necessary to inculcate team spirit rather than working individually adding that team spirit plays an important role in an organization which can pave way towards success in the long run.

Similarly the key note speaker, Mr. Subramanian, J, Chief Group (HR), Gati Ltd said, ‘Human Resources’ is all about relations. The better one maintains it, the better result he/she gets. He said that now the organizations are in search of efficient man power or in order words, the corporate houses need engaged workforce. Speaking on the occasion the Guest of Honour, Mr. B N Swain, the Executive Director (H&A), Nalco, focused on leading people rather than managing them. He further said that we need to understand our-self first before understanding others without which all the plans are fruitless. Talking about challenges, he said that any work on which we concentrate becomes a challenge for us but if we accept it then it becomes an opportunity for showcasing our talent.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Biswajeet Pattanayak, Director, ASBM said that today the role of HR has become more challenging adding that we need to develop a different type of HR Strategy for this Gen X, who joined the work force after 2000 and today it is seen that maximum number of work force comprises of youngsters. Prof. Pattanayak focused on paradigm shift because of the global impact of economy on HR. He said that HR has four new roles now- Strategic HR, Transformation and Change, Management of Firm Infrastructure and Management of Employee Contribution. He quoted Dave Ulrich and said that strategic roles are the futuristic one and will herald a new era of HRM and ensure HR as a business partner. Among others, Mr. T S Babu, Sr. VP, SEW Infrastructure, Mr. Rudra N Pal, President (HR), Seashore Group of Companies Mr. M Ramakrishna, Managing Director, ZCS Consulting Ltd, Mr. Sreekumar G Kurup, Director & Chief HR Officer, ICOMM, Tele, Mr. Subhendu Das, GM-HR, Paradeep Phosphates Ltd also spoke on the occasion. A book ‘HR Intervention in the age of Competitiveness’ authored by Mr. G Upadhaya was also inaugurated in the event.