0009: HRD Interventions In TQM

HRD Interventions in TQM

A Microsoft ad theme is ’People Ready Organizations’ which

reflects the importance organizations give to its human

resource. TQM is now directly equated with HRD and they are

regarded as two sides of the same coin. When we talk about

HRD Interventions in TQM, we are talking of primarily two

things – Emphasis on Quality of Life and Focus on Quality of

Work Life. These two emphasize the fact that the worker is

not merely a component of the production process. HRD

intervention is needed to bring about “Total Quality People”,

for whom total quality is what brings about Atmananda (a

sense of pride and self satisfaction).

􀀊 Stress & Indian Ethos

Stress is a dynamic condition in which an individual is confronted with an opportunity,

constraint, or demand related to what he or she desires and for which the outcome is

perceived to be both uncertain and important. More typically, stress is associated with constraints and demands. The former prevents an individual from doing what he/she Himadri Barman, Centre for Management Studies, Dibrugarh University

desires while the latter refers to the loss of something desired. The word ‘stress’ is derived from the Latin word ‘Stringer’ which means to ‘draw tight’.

Causes of Stress

• Mostly external and outside our control like Rapid obsolescence of skills,

Uncongenial work environment, political and economic factors, etc.

• Stress generating events & situations in life – partly controllable and partly not like

Death of family member / close relative, Wedding, Retirement, Loss of Job, etc.

• Mostly internal and by and large within our control. These are classified into

(a) Strong negative emotions – the 5 As of anger, ambition, anxiety,apprehension and arrogance.

(b) Materialistic world view including a hedonistic culture that promotes crass consumerism and is sustained by some powerful unwholesome emotions like selfishness, greed, grabbing mentality, envy, egocentricity, etc.

(c) Living an impure, illegal and unethical life ruled by the senses; for example having extra-marital relationship and being a victim of lust and passion, engaged in shady corrupt deals and being a victim of easy money, etc.

(d) Personality composition / make-up

(e) Interplay of duality that is a fact of life and human existence‡

Consequences of Stress

There is almost a unanimous view that there are four components of the consequences of stress. These are:

• Physiological – blood pressure problems, problems related to the heart, indigestion, insomnia, etc. These are termed nowadays as lifestyle diseases!

• Emotional – anxiety, anger, depression, fear (phobias), etc.

• Behavioural – over dependence, argumentativeness, disturbed work life/schedule, etc.

• Cognitive – adverse effects on mental functions such as reasoning, thinking concentration, and memory, and incapability in decision making....

Ref: H BARMAN