There are many labels for HR professionals: leaders, architects, stewards, partners, or players. Image and identity are important because they shape behavior, and HR professionals know many of the images they want to shed; e.g., policy police, bureaucrats, administrators, regulators, etc. It is less clear what the future identity of HR should be. In all probability, multiple roles will be played by HR professionals depending on the business context and the proclivity of the HR professional; however, knowing alternate and varied roles increases the possibilities in the ever-changing business landscape. As a result of the quick pace of change, HR work will be housed in organizations that differ greatly from what we have today. And, as organizations become more of an assortment of alliances and relationships, HR practices will also need to cross boundaries.

The HR conclave organised by PEOPLE MATTERS at Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida, on the 17th of March, 2015 was initiated by Col.A.K.Rajpal, who welcomed the honorable panelists, guests and our respected director Dr.R Thakur. According to Col.Rajpal, life in the 21st century is a baffling cocktail of existentialism, surrealism and co-relations where the utopian ‘instant gratification’ plays an important role. Instant gratification is evolutionary where we prepare and proceed –there is no quitting and only self-enlightenment. It is attitude that makes the difference and initiates the “paradigm shift”. This is the new leadership!

The session of panel discussions opened with the same word “paradigm shift” and its importance in HR.Moderator Mr.Sunil Pathak, Director of HR at Cadence Design Systems, talked about a paradigm shift as something that is taking place in the contemporary understanding of the role of human resources in development. Support for the supply-sided human capital model rests on the proposition, not yet established empirically, that it leads to more rapid rates of development than alternative approaches. The human resources development strategy stresses that human resources is both producers and the intended beneficiaries of development. It thus focuses on the achievement of human development directly, as well as indirectly through investment in human capital, and emphasises the role of rewarded economic activity and demand in the successful implementation of human resources development.

Ms.Isha Gera, Manager People Strategy at Sapient Nitro, discusses the importance of the frameworks and concepts in HR. She also stressed that adaptability and agility are qualities that need to be embraced in order to survive in today’s competitive business environment.

Mr.Akshay Chadha, HR Standard Chartered Bank, shared his views on the feedback system and the learning experience derived from it that allows HR professionals to implement programs of ethics and values. He was consistent about the mandatory need of the hour-personal branding and independent understanding.

Ms.Geetanjali Kulkarni, Sr.Manager HR, Ericsson, emphasized HR’s role in being a persistent learning platform, which is beyond the traditional idea about HR. It is about value additions, thought processes and business, and not just about socialising and conversations.

Ms.Anu Anand shared her insights on the justification of right matrix, which is the base of the functional aspect to maximise holistic learning. Talent is not all about the innate quality; it can always be imbibed through an openness to the wealth of knowledge that an individual has access to.

Ms.Divya Jain, Asst. Vice President, Right Management, talked about the convictions, integrity, credibility and the need of challenging oneself to reach the highest level of success. It is the passion that takes someone to new heights – vital to this ascensions the passion of learning and learning to manifesting.

The traditional HR practices of staffing, training, performance management, benefits, regulation, labor relations, and so forth will not go away; but, they will become the table stakes for HR, with new practices emerging constantly.If our purpose is to propose a debate about the future, it is better to end with questions than with answers. Questions elicit new frameworks, approaches, and alternatives so, the final two questions to be asked are: Do you want to play in this always changing and at times unclear future? Are you having fun? Without a doubt, all the fine authors in this issue and many others considered to be among the best HR professionals answer with a resounding “yes.”