Rohtak, Haryana: Indian Institute of Management Rohtak successfully hosted its annual HR Summit 2025, centered around the theme “Navigating New Horizons: HR’s Strategic Role in a Changing Global Environment.” The event brought together senior HR professionals from leading organizations, including GE Vernova India, Wipro, Paytm, Tata Technologies, ONGC Videsh, and Titan. With the participation of over 300 students and faculty members, the summit provided a dynamic platform for exploring the evolving role of HR to meet the demands of a rapidly changing global landscape.
The summit commenced with a welcome address by Prof. Dheeraj Sharma, Director, IIM Rohtak, who highlighted the importance of continuous adaptation in a world marked by volatility and transformation. He emphasized the need for inclusive policies, evolving workplace roles, and a conscious effort to balance technological advancement with human values. He also emphasized how government policies have enabled India to transition from an economy of scarcity to one characterized by increased opportunity and abundance. Reflecting on this progress, he remarked, “We are no longer a nation defined by scarcity. The question now is, how do we keep people motivated and aligned in an age that offers comfort and presents choice while bringing new complexities?” This perspective set the tone for the day, encouraging participants to reflect deeply on the changing expectations of leaders and HR professionals.
The first panel, “Redefining Leadership: Navigating Complexity, Change & Collaboration,” examined how leadership is evolving beyond traditional hierarchies toward a more agile, emotionally intelligent model. One of the speakers remarked, “Leadership today thrives in uncertainty. It’s about fostering innovation, staying ethical, and uniting people behind a shared purpose.” The Panellists also emphasized that modern leadership is about enabling others to thrive in the face of ambiguity and constant change.
The second panel, “Distance, Diversity & Direction: The New Rules of Global People Management,” addressed the realities of managing distributed and diverse teams across geographies. From talent fluidity to cross-cultural engagement, speakers emphasized the importance of evolving people practices suiting global contexts. The conversation reflected the growing need for organizations to rethink people management through the dual lenses of empathy and agility.
The third panel, “Future-Ready Talent: Building Capacity for Disruption,” discussed the skills required to remain competitive amid rapid technological and organizational shifts. Panellists stressed the importance of internal mobility, adaptability, problem-solving, and a digital-first mindset. One speaker noted how leading firms are using AI-powered platforms to assess individual skill gaps and enable personalized learning journeys. The discussion emphasized that upskilling should be part of the company’s culture, helping employees solve problems and adapt to ongoing change.
The final session, “Leading with Why: Embedding Meaning into Metrics,” explored how purpose-driven frameworks can transform the way performance is measured and experienced across organizations. Panellists discussed how linking metrics to employee experience, culture, ESG goals, and sustainability can lead to stronger teams and better business outcomes. They emphasized the importance of redefining success not just by profits but by long-term impact and social responsibility. The panel concluded with a call for leaders to champion the metrics that not only track results but inspire them.
Throughout the summit, students engaged actively with a wide range of ideas spanning leadership, transformation, and workforce strategy. The discussions aligned closely with the discussion initiated by Prof. Dheeraj Sharma, reinforcing the urgency for HR to be adaptive, ethical, and forward-thinking in the face of global challenges. The summit proved to be a valuable learning experience, broadening participants’ perspectives on how HR can catalyze organizational success in a rapidly evolving world.
With a current enrolment of over 1800 students, IIM Rohtak, an Institute of National Importance and AMBA-accredited, is ranked among the top 2 percent of global management schools. The Institute has secured 12th in the NIRF India Rankings 2024 and achieved a position in the 151+ band of the QS World University Rankings, underscoring its rising prominence in academic and policy excellence.