We cannot deny the importance of Human Resource development in this era of international competitiveness, but we must admit that there is lack of a national strategic plan for the promotion of such development. HR professionals presently play a ‘cosmetic’ role in strategic partnership. There are two main obstacles that hinder the full realization of the HR role and value. The obstacles are:

The prevailing organizational culture that has so far failed to both understand and recognize the need for a more ‘involved’ HR role, and

Lack of HR expertise; HR professionals have to impose themselves as problem solvers, business strategists and administrative experts.

HR will start playing its fundamental strategic role only when the two obstacles mentioned above are removed.

Most HR professionals in Pakistan are ‘Methodologists’ rather than ‘Strategists’. This implies that the HR function is basically limited to daily operational activities. Apparently HR roles of ‘Strategic Partner’ and ‘Change Agent’ are not yet well developed in most of the organizations.

Human resource development explores the main principles and core values, which underpin how an organization can and should manage the development of its human resources. The major resource and largest area of investment for most organizations lie in the people they employ and in the people whose services they buy. To examine the key challenge for all managers, which lies in the effective management of how people learn the skills and knowledge that an organization needs to fulfill its objectives?

Companies and individuals in the 21st century will use their money to make more money. Investing money has always concerned those who want to be financially responsible. Now, more than ever, investing one’s money is a social responsibility as well.

The government’s effort to ensure successful development of human resources must be central to any and all initiatives. The first step in designing a human resource management approach involves analyzing the organization and designing an infrastructure of positions that best represent how the organization will carry out its mandate and achieve results.

Organizations can analyze competency gaps between the profile of the organization and the profile of the individual to help them determine which individuals are best suitable for the jobs they might assume in the future. A small gap between a person’s competence and the competency requirements of a position would have implications in a successful placement or promotion. Organizations can use strength/gap analysis of competencies to define merit and help determine which employees are deployable or would be retained in a downsizing and restructuring exercise.