BMI 2018 – Mr. George Abraham

My journey through the exciting world of modern day HR

Speaker : Mr. George Abraham – SHRM SCP, Senior Manager – Human Resources – Deloitte, Middle East – Risk Advisory HR Leader, Deloitte & Touche (M.E,)

“Be curious, collaborate and co-create” and ‘Continuously Challenge Orthodoxies’ said  Mr. George Abraham, while addressing LIBA students.

It was an illuminating and engaging experience for the students of LIBA when Mr. George Abraham, SHRM, Deloitte (Middle East), also an alumnus of the 2005 batch of LIBA, addressed the students on 8^th January 2018 at the Beyond Management Initiative session, where he talked about his journey into the corporate world.

Mr. Abraham brought to light the importance of creative collaborations and knowledge sharing.

Talking about his LIBA days, Mr. Abraham said, “Your score is not always a true reflection of your talent. Smooth transition from the campus to the corporate depends not on your scores but on the learning that you carry as your takeaway.”

“HR is going through a sea of changes on account of path breaking technological advancements. The key to standing one’s ground in these winds of changes lies in focusing on better communication, team dynamics and alignment with organizational goals. Organizations too need to brace for a digital future in order to be future-ready”, said Mr. Abraham.

Talking about how people’s career preferences have changed, Mr. Abraham said, “People these days are not just looking for careers, they are looking for experiences. The corporate workforce is changing. The use of contingent workforce and freelancers is on the rise. This will further evolve with the transition to robotic workforce, smart machines and other intelligent technologies guided by artificial intelligence.”

Mr. Abraham’s advice to the students was to grab every single opportunity to learn, be open to criticism, share knowledge, collaborate and look beyond. “Epitomize LUCEAT LUX VESTRA and let your light shine,” were Mr. George Abraham’s concluding words.

This was followed by a Q & A session, where Mr. George Abraham answered the queries put forth by the audience.

 Q1. Do you suggest switching domains after working for a few years?

 It depends on your choices and situation but it is not advisable to do so after having worked for some years in one particular field. Do not go for a stop gap arrangement. Find your passion and pursue it. Don’t make a career decision based on just the pay packets.

Q2. Is HR losing its importance with the advent of Robotics, AI and Machine learning?

Former US president John F. Kennedy said once, ‘The Human mind is our fundamental resource’. Humans are the creators and the masters of the machines and the technologies that are being touted as their replacements. The fact is that HR will always remain a key aspect of businesses, but its role will certainly evolve with the dawn of these path breaking advancements.

Contributed by : Rajesh Sinha, PGDM (2017-19), LIBA, Chennai