Market contexts for multiple players in the similar segment have been the same, but their leaders respond with different choices and styles. Nowadays, in most cases the cut throat business priorities override the people related aspects. The burden of people management of such situations weighs largely, if not completely, on the shoulders of HR. While processing this, a distinct contradiction takes place between a perceived “cut-throat business outlook” and “people-centric values.”

Too much business focus and lip service to people philosophy widens the chasm between business leaders and HR leaders. Looking at the way economics is made to work these days, HR leaders' alignment with business is not just natural but a forced choice. The nice things about people philosophy slowly changes its color and texture and give different meaning to “people management” - managing people in all weathers in good or bad times, with & without engagement. A better approach, anytime, like quite a few companies do, would be to engage with a team through 1-on-1s, town halls, department / team briefings, email, internal marketing, group chats, etc., to share information, get buy-in and prepare for the future.

HR Leaders have taken the lead in the post pandemic world. But their influence is slowly waning under the pressures of business. A general complaint business leaders have on HR is that they are bringing new norms which hinder the speed of progress, making it difficult to measure productivity and monitor work methods. Whereas HR leaders complain about toxic leadership styles of business leaders and their inability to adapt to the working style of the new normal.

Organizations should decide if they would like to conduct themselves as the New Age Angels rather than the Demons. The New Age Angels are like the reputable Armies and people centric orgs who recruit, train and equip their teams with skills & technology; build rigor, discipline & culture to achieve meaningful, purposeful and impactful objectives. The New Age Demons are like mercenaries with short term focus, hidden agendas, self-centered, rude & brutal in approach to achieve their goals at any cost. Organizations (business and HR leaders combined) have to make the choice on which side of the continuum they want to be - the Angels or the Demons. Their choices will get them either rewards or consequences and the gaps in their thinking and actions either narrow or widen.