HRD seeks to constantly maintain maximum efficiency and effectiveness by examining employee functions in their jobs. To increase the performance of a company, HRD focuses on elements such as staff satisfaction, compensation, and incentives to keep up morale in order to achieve the highest possible performance from the employees HRD covers the role of recruitment, job analysis, performance appraisals, and skill inventorying to gain a competitive advantage. The extracted data during HR Planning are required to keep track of the human capital functioning within the company. While the task of compiling accurate data may be difficult, advances in technology play a major role in today’s HR function to help automate the work and make it easier.

In the digital era, current human resource planning is leaning toward a more machine-based system. The benefits of cutting-edge technology can help HR planners greatly increase the efficiency and their ability to forecast future needs and wants. The future of HR lies in data analytics that compiles all the information on employees, including their upbringing, experience, performance, and skill sets and monitors them via a computerised interface. Human resource planning is creating strategies around machine run data. The resulting benefit makes artificial intelligence (AI) an important asset that would decrease the time spent on recruitment and increasing its effectiveness while also providing applicants with a fair assessment.

It is with a great sense of admiration mixed up with a dash of amazement, that I scan the current HRD scenario to witness the giant strides made in this field. Yet amongst the glamour and glitter orchestrated by many organisations, which apparently looks like the tip of the iceberg, perhaps it could be my imagination at this late stage of life, I notice a sense of undue stress and dissatisfaction among the staff at all levels in most companies I happen to visit during my consultancies. It makes me to wonder whether we are better off nowadays and motivates me to recollect the scenarios that existed half a century ago during my formative years

As the well quoted words of Mark Antony in Julius Caesar of Shakespeare:

  Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;

  I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him,

My aim is not to glorify the so-called good old days, but to glimpse at some of the best practices used which were appropriate in those bygone days, and some which in my opinion can still be practically valid.

When I faced the first interview at the Bata Shoe Company of Ceylon Ltd in 1969, the very first question I was asked by the Personnel Manager was why I have stipulated a low salary. You should never underestimate yourself. I was reminded. By that time, I had a little over one years’ experience in one of the footwear companies and I was studying part-time for LIRI ( UK ). We joined as trainees under the Management Development Personnel (MDP), and the very  first document we were given was a printed leaflet about learning principles (which I still have filed). It started with the famous ancient Chinese quote:

Give a Man a Fish, and You Feed Him for a Day. Teach a Man to Fish, and You Feed Him for a Lifetime.

The type of training was truly hands-on. Whichever functional area we were selected, be it Production, Technical, Purchasing, Marketing, HR or Engineering, we were assigned to the sales outlets and showrooms for one week to familiarize with customer requirements and to learn the shoe sizes by practice. It was a very practical way of understanding customer perception on which there are a multitude of techniques available these days. In the technical and production area which I preferred, our training programme included actual learning and practice of milling, the internal mixer, and other rubber processing machinery, including moulding , and later, working alongside the operators ( sitting next to Nellie) , in the footwear conveyors. The injection molding techniques were not available in the Sri Lanka factory by that time. This reminds me of the Genba  (real place)  concept, of the Japanese which I  happen to familiarize, much later in life. The “Baptism by Fire” became a guiding light in shaping my career in the rubber industry. We were also given a small ring bound hardcover pocket notebook, where we were compelled to list down the daily tasks, mark the ones accomplished and carry forward the balance to the next day. Every operational division used a “Workshop Balance Sheet '' which gave a record of hourly production against target, and the reasons for any shortfall had to be corrected promptly. It was also required to show the material and machine availability for the following day’s production requirement and get the signature of the responsible persons. This was a simple yet effective way of assigning responsibility and accountability. Internal Memos were delivered by hand and the signature of the recipient was taken on the original, and in retrospect, I think that this was a more reliable mode than the emails when considering accountability.

 It was an era where there no ICT, and other paraphernalia, computers, electronic calculators, smartphones and APPs that a young person has at his disposal The fastest mode of communication was the Telex, and photocopier (Xerox) and the Facsimile, were  yet to see the dawn of the day. We were given a large record book similar to a modern wedding photographic album, which was called the Wellington Book, (named after the Duke of Wellington, of the Battle of Waterloo fame), to record all our learning experiences, which the Personnel Manager discussed with us during the weekly counselling sessions. At a time when the now famous ISO 9001 Procedures and SOPs were not heard of, the organization used standard procedures, and other working documents and formats, including standard formula cards, in its worldwide network of about 110 factories.

 We were encouraged to learn from direct observations which include cleanliness and housekeeping also, reminiscent of the power of observations of Sherlock Holmes, which generally ended up with the comment “elementary my dear Watson”. Although the systemized data analysis and virtual access were m not available, my opinion is that the power of observation and hands-on experience enhances the brain functioning, which even some of the modern research has shown to be diminishing with the automation and Artificial Intelligence.

The importance of Tacit (implicit) knowledge or knowing how was given a prominent position during those days, while Explicit knowledge (knowing what), codified and digitalized, plays a more important role nowadays. A parallel from the field of medical examination seems suitable to cite at this juncture.  Competent   Ayurvedic physicians are capable of diagnosing many physical illnesses, acutely by feeling the pulse of the patient (which even some Western practitioners used to do in our young days), while modern specialists are heavily dependent on tests and techniques and numbers, and yet the general status of physical wellbeing of the people  is no better.

Another important aspect of HRD during those days was providing opportunities for representing the company in regional conferences, where we had to present and discuss the technical and other productivity improvements with our counterparts. The only equipment available were the slide projectors and the Flip Charts, which made it a challenging task. It was also an opportunity to interact with people of different nationalities and cultures, which the current tele -conferences and the most recent webinars cannot fulfil adequately. Evaluation of such training was initially done by way of a presentation to the Senior Management and a component of the annual increments was determined by the productive activities one completed after the training, apparently was “no free lunch”.

Some of the leading rubber and chemical raw material suppliers of the yesteryears, Bayer, Monsanto, Rheine Chemie, Polysar,ICI and Vanderbilt , to name  few played a leading role in improving the knowledge  base of the personnel engaged  in the industry. Their Handbooks, and Technical Notes were invaluable treasures. The three-week residential Customer Technical Training Programme of Bayer India was in the Annual HR Agendas during those daysI had the fortune of participating in this programme in 1978, and it was very  efficiently handled by Ms R.R Pandit ( diseased ) , SN Chakravarthi.

During my subsequent career progress with companies in Nairobi, Kenya and Sri Lanka, I have made an endeavor to use some of these proven methods to develop the technical and production staff in the companies I have worked. One of the effective methods that can be cited is the compulsory training in Banbury Mixing given to trainees from the universities in Sri Lanka during their In-Plant Training and it gives me a great satisfaction to see that most of them have done very well in their careers and are holding high positions in the industry. Working in an environment with carbon black is a useful learning method, which will be helpful in our professional as well as personal lives.

Not all human resources managers are created equal. In fact, they come from a variety of backgrounds on their way to higher-level HR positions. Still, despite these different paths, many still share basic HR manager responsibilities. The most vital aspect is the importance of the personal touch and the “people centeredness” with respect to the interphases, which the modern techniques seem to be fast obliterating  

The vital message I would wish to the industry is the dire importance of the 3Bs, namely, going back to the base at whatever technology level we are engaged, reinforce the base and sustain the base.

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Apollo Tyres has earned five major industry honours at the JioStar Reimagine Awards 2025–26 and the Abby Awards 2026, recognising the strength of its recent advertising efforts. The company secured three Gold trophies at the JioStar Reimagine Awards for Best Use of Sports Talent, Best Content Integration – TV and Best Use of Multi-Screen Campaigns. It also captured two Bronze awards at the Abby Awards within the Audio Visual – TV category for both the Automotive and Corporate segments.

The acclaimed ‘Har Safar Mein Dum Hai’ campaign, rooted in Apollo Tyres’ ‘Go the Distance’ philosophy, transformed a traditionally low-interest product category into an emotionally compelling narrative. Instead of relying on standard celebrity endorsements, the campaign celebrated perseverance over mere victory and used cricket as a shared cultural connector to build authentic audience bonds.

Leveraging A R Rahman’s enduring anthem ‘Maa Tujhe Salaam’, the campaign was conceptualised by Simran Kanwar and became the fourth most discussed brand during the recent T20 World Cup. It outperformed competitors with triple the advertising spend, earning top honours across content, sports integration, film craft and multi-platform categories through sharp insight and distinctive execution.

Udyan Ghai, Group Head, Marketing, Apollo Tyres Ltd, said, “To see our campaign being celebrated by the industry at the JioStar and Abby Awards is an immensely proud moment for all of us. Winning for 'Har Safar Mein Dum Hai' is a beautiful tribute to our team’s hard work in creating stories that truly move people. It proves that our focus on emotional storytelling, strategic sports associations and multi-platform integration is exactly what resonates with today's audience.”

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Hankook Tire, the exclusive tyre supplier for the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), has concluded the seventh round of the 2026 season, FORUM8 Rally Japan. Held across the Aichi and Gifu regions, the competition saw Hankook provide its two specialised tarmac rally tyres: the Ventus Z215 for dry surfaces and the Ventus Z210 for damp conditions.

The rally consisted of 20 special stages covering 302.82 kilometres of challenging mountain asphalt. The route featured steep roads lined with cliffs, barriers and dense woodland, offering little room for error and demanding constant driver concentration. Due to the narrow layout with virtually no straight sections, maintaining stable line-holding and precise vehicle control became essential to avoid damage or retirement.

Fluctuating weather conditions, including mountain fog, localised rain and shifting surface temperatures, kept the road surface in constant change. In this environment, tyre performance proved critical, with the Ventus Z215 delivering strong cornering on dry highspeed sections and the Ventus Z210 providing drainage and reliable grip on damp stretches. The event drew intense local interest as the home round for Toyota GAZOO Racing, where Elfyn Evans claimed overall victory, his second win of the season. Evans now leads the Drivers’ Championship with 151 points, followed by teammate Takamoto Katsuta on 131.

The championship now moves to Round 8, the EKO Acropolis Rally Greece, scheduled for 25 to 28 June in Loutraki. Known for its extreme mountain terrain and rough gravel surfaces with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, the event will test tyre durability and thermal stability. Since becoming the exclusive WRC tyre supplier for all classes in 2025, Hankook has integrated racing data from over 70 global championships into its research and development to advance its high-performance lineup.

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Comerio Ercole has concluded its participation at INDEX, the premier international nonwovens exhibition in Geneva. The event served as a vital platform to connect with global customers and industry professionals, reinforcing the company’s strong market foothold. Throughout the exhibition, the company showcased cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions, drawing excellent feedback. The fair facilitated valuable idea exchanges, strengthened longstanding relationships and fostered new international ties, proving an inspiring experience for the entire team.

Parallel to industry engagements, Comerio Ercole is bolstering employee wellbeing through the WHP Lombardia programme. Since 2019, the company has joined this regional initiative following the World Health Organization model. Increasingly investing in environmental, social and governance initiatives, the company has introduced measures to improve health and safety. These efforts have earned renewed recognition as a health-promoting workplace, with programmes including healthy nutrition, physical activity groups, anti-smoking campaigns and sustainable mobility.

Separately, Comerio Ercole recently hosted Istituto Fermi students for an educational visit. The group toured production workshops, observing machinery construction firsthand. A particularly appreciated segment introduced virtual reality systems for training and machine support, where immersive simulations using Oculus headsets demonstrated how new technologies enhance learning and remote maintenance.

The meeting also covered the company’s history and sustainability efforts. For Comerio Ercole, such initiatives build connections with younger generations and inspire future professionals by sharing a passion for engineering excellence. The company extended thanks to the students and teachers for their enthusiasm.

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The Tire Industry Association (TIA) has recognised Michelin North America for a USD 5,000 donation made to the Tire Industry Scholarship programme. The scholarship initiative is administered in partnership with the University of the Aftermarket Foundation and aims to support students pursuing higher education while strengthening the future workforce of the tire and automotive service industries.

Michelin’s contribution places it alongside a growing roster of industry donors, including Bridgestone Americas, Hankook Tire, Kumho Tire, Nitto Tire, Toyo Tire, VIP Tire, Yokohama Tire Corporation and the Tire Industry Association itself. Established with the University of the Aftermarket Foundation, the Tire Industry Scholarship programme provides financial assistance to students and directly addresses workforce development needs within the tyre sector.

TIA continues to encourage companies throughout the tyre industry to support the scholarship fund, helping to expand educational opportunities for future students and secure a skilled talent pipeline for years to come.

Dick Gust, CEO, TIA, said, "We are grateful to Michelin for supporting the Tire Industry Scholarship programme and investing in the future of our industry. Scholarships like these help create opportunities for students while demonstrating our industry's commitment to developing the next generation of leaders, technicians and professionals. The success of this programme depends on industry participation. Every contribution helps us invest in the future of our workforce and create opportunities for students who may one day become the leaders of our industry."

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