​HR word of the day – Double Burden

Double burden is a phenomenon where an individual is given two equally difficult and usually conflicting roles to play, and they are not given any monetary benefit for one of the roles. On a general note, the term Double burden is used to describe the position of women who two roles that is the paid job outside and also homemaking and child care done inside home.

It is double burden because, the work done inside the home is an unpaid work and this causes a perception that this work is something of less value than the paid work performed outside.

Traditionally HR used to play a role more like an Administrator, formulating policies and implementing them. HR used to involve more with the employees, understanding their aspirations, Suggesting their carrier growth plans, dealing with their issues, giving proper recognition, formulating policies for their welfare, turning the environment into employee friendly and also increasing the productivity of the employees and making the employees successful in the organization. But in the present scenario the role of HR has been shifted to a strategic partner, where HR participates in formulating business strategies, designing organization structure, participating in business decisions, setting organization wide culture, business goals and objectives.

In this way, now the HR has to play two roles in the organization. Being a strategic partner, HR has to have clear focus in satisfying the customer needs, which can be achieved only through the employees. Hence the HR has to work on building employee satisfaction, which directly results in customer value creation and strong customer relationship, helping in customer retention and satisfaction.