BLF Spotlights ‘Profits via Human Capital’
View(s):This year’s Business Leaders’ Forum (BLF) was an absorbing and inspiring session on ‘Integrating HR across Disciplines.’ The event was organised by the Institute of Personnel Management (IPM) and was held on April 4, 2013 at the Galadari Hotel.
The Business Leaders’ Forum is an annual event organised by the IPM focusing on pertinent human resource (HR) and management topics related to organisational growth, strategies and competitiveness. This year’s forum topic spotlighted the importance of mutualism between the different disciplines within an organisation to work towards a joint effort in achieving the goals of the organisation.
The panel at this year’s forum comprised expertise from the different industry sectors of the country: Managing Director & CEO, Chemanex PLC, M. Preethi Jayawardena; Director & CEO, Watawala Plantations PLC, Dr. Dan Seevaratnam; and Head of Group Human Resources Hayleys Group PLC, Sunil Dissanayake. The forum was moderated by Senior Faculty Member, Management Consultant Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM) University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Dr Ajantha Dharmasiri.
The panel and moderator brought together years of exposure in different industries and hands-on experience in handling people, and successful implementation of good HR cultures for the betterment of their organisations. Introducing the topic the moderator 
for the event, Dr Dharmasiri, stated that according to current global management trends, innovation and human capital development has scored high and are among the top priorities, indicating the importance of strategic people management.
The first panellist to address the audience, Preethi Jayawardena, emphasising on the importance of employee engagement, opined “It is the people who will make or break an organization.” In support of his statement he explained how important it is to properly engage employees in the goals of the organization affirming that it is vital that issues related to human resources are addressed at the boardroom level.
Bringing in his vast experience from the plantation sector, Dr. Dan Seevaratnam 
asserted the importance of working with people to increase value in any organization. He further explained that engaging people to work with their hearts and minds, sharing the vision of the organization, are some of the success strategies of Watawala Plantations PLC today. Dr. Seevaratnam also explained how the organisation had overcome some of the greatest challenges of the plantation sector through strategic management decisions to synergize employees as associates to create a win-win situation.
Further on integrating HR across disciplines, Dr Seevaratnam opined that the role played by the human resource manager (HRM) at the boardroom level has to be contributory role in terms of converting HR efforts to numbers and profits, rather than a mere physical role.
Discussing the different position and role of HR in different industries, Sunil Dissanayake drew attention to the fact that the role of HR, and its significance in an organisation, depends on the attributes of the HRM such as, knowledge, competitiveness and contribution. He also explained that as HR is not a pre-determined boardroom role, by playing a significant role in the organisation, 
understanding the different aspects of the organisation, and contributing towards the organisation through technical and soft skills the HRM can gain the due recognition.
Overall, the panel drew attention to the importance of the human capital in an organisation and the significance of the HRM role. The panel was also of the view that just as much as HRM techniques and skills are needed in all departments of an organisation, it is important for other departments to practice good HRM. The panel agreed that the ‘people’ culture has to be initiated from the top management for the organisation to achieve its overall goals.
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