Abstract:

Human Resource Management as a new profession, discipline, and function in Central Asia was first recognized no more than fifteen years ago. Initially, this awareness was primarily within international company branches or companies with international headquarters. Over these fifteen years, the situation has significantly improved, and many employees across different companies are now familiar with the terms "HR manager" and "HR department." However, there is still often an association with the traditional Soviet-era personnel department, which primarily handled employee paperwork for hiring, dismissal, sick leave, vacations, maintaining employee records, and processing orders for business trips, rewards, or disciplinary actions by organizational management.

Currently, a large portion of companies attribute HR functions to recruitment, hiring, and employee adaptation; personnel administration; shaping corporate culture; communications; training; and development. In many companies, functions related to rewards, compensation, and benefits also fall under HR functions.

What contributed to such rapid transformation of HR functions in such a short period? In my view, it's the emergence of awards in Central Asia recognizing the best employers and HR practices, industry conferences, the formation of professional communities, translation of key HR books, and the opportunity to learn this new profession.

The first professional competition for the title of the best employer brand in Central Asia was the Head Hunter Best Employer in CA, whose award ceremony will take place this year on May 31st in Almaty for the eleventh time. Over the past ten years, the HR Brand CA Awards have featured projects in three categories:

Region: Projects implemented in cities of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, or Kyrgyzstan.

Country: Projects implemented in regions of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, or Kyrgyzstan.

World: Projects implemented across multiple countries or utilizing HR practices from international headquarters abroad.

This year, two new categories were added:

Small and Medium Business (SMB): Projects implemented in companies with up to 250 employees.

Social Project: Projects addressing important societal issues, aiding people in complex life situations, improving urban spaces, or aimed at solving specific social problems.

Projects submitted according to a specific template are evaluated at two levels: the first level by an expert council of HR directors and professionals with extensive experience and expertise, and the second level by a jury consisting of HR directors, professionals, top managers of large companies, professors, and authors.

I first joined the jury of this competition and award in 2018.