Software industry “people person” shares why the profession must embrace tech to adapt to the future, while keeping humans front of mind
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As Traction on Demand’s “people person”, Manu Varma has been instrumental in helping the cloud consulting and software development company grow organically to more than 300 people across North America since 2013.
Varma is an HR professional with more than 20 years of experience in high tech, utilities and finance around the world. He strongly believes in building innovative and socially conscious people practices, and using technology to make it happen.
He led Traction on Demand’s team to win the Maxsys Staffing Award for Most Effective Recruitment Strategy at the 2016 HR Awards.
Varma shares why it’s important for HR professionals to adapt to a changing world, and why people are always the most important part of the job.
Yes! Lots! We have about 400 people applying monthly, new geo expansion, new business units, expanding an HR offering we have built in house that we are going to take to market. We want to make HR a revenue generating part of our business as part of our value add!
What’s your biggest industry worry or concern right now?
The instability in the USA: work permits, immigration, protectionism.
If you could change anything about the HR industry, what would it be?
The reluctance of HR professionals to adopt technology and be innovative and really be an adaptive enterprise. By this I mean, being responsive to feedback. Change is happening all around us. Adapt. Listen. Iterate. Change. I am so frustrated by HR solutions that need work-arounds. There are solutions out there to really help us increase employee and candidate experience without working with inferior solutions.
What is the proudest moment or achievement of your HR career so far?
The amount of people I have had the pleasure of working with, seeing them progress to realize their career goals. It is pretty humbling.
What the most rewarding thing about being in HR?
Seeing people develop and flourish in roles they want to be working in!
What would you like your HR legacy to be?
People first. Trust first.
Related stories:
What is the top priority for HR leaders this year?
Is access to technology vital to job satisfaction?
Varma is an HR professional with more than 20 years of experience in high tech, utilities and finance around the world. He strongly believes in building innovative and socially conscious people practices, and using technology to make it happen.
He led Traction on Demand’s team to win the Maxsys Staffing Award for Most Effective Recruitment Strategy at the 2016 HR Awards.
Varma shares why it’s important for HR professionals to adapt to a changing world, and why people are always the most important part of the job.
If you could give your younger self, or someone entering HR for the first time, one piece of advice – what would it be?
Trust yourself. Your instincts are good. Just because you are young, doesn’t mean your point of view doesn’t count and you don’t have insight.
Is there anything exciting in the pipeline for your HR department? Trust yourself. Your instincts are good. Just because you are young, doesn’t mean your point of view doesn’t count and you don’t have insight.
Yes! Lots! We have about 400 people applying monthly, new geo expansion, new business units, expanding an HR offering we have built in house that we are going to take to market. We want to make HR a revenue generating part of our business as part of our value add!
What’s your biggest industry worry or concern right now?
The instability in the USA: work permits, immigration, protectionism.
If you could change anything about the HR industry, what would it be?
The reluctance of HR professionals to adopt technology and be innovative and really be an adaptive enterprise. By this I mean, being responsive to feedback. Change is happening all around us. Adapt. Listen. Iterate. Change. I am so frustrated by HR solutions that need work-arounds. There are solutions out there to really help us increase employee and candidate experience without working with inferior solutions.
What is the proudest moment or achievement of your HR career so far?
The amount of people I have had the pleasure of working with, seeing them progress to realize their career goals. It is pretty humbling.
What the most rewarding thing about being in HR?
Seeing people develop and flourish in roles they want to be working in!
What would you like your HR legacy to be?
People first. Trust first.
Related stories:
What is the top priority for HR leaders this year?
Is access to technology vital to job satisfaction?